How do I incubate eggs?

[Chicken0Boy]

I am brand new and don't know how to incubate eggs!

I know right! I am also a first time chicken owner and just ordered my first chicks 30 minutes ago!

I already got a incubator picked out! Here it is http://www.brinsea.com/prod-Octagon_20_ECO_egg_incubator-224.aspx Tell me what you think & tell me everything I need to know about Incubating and Hatching eggs!

I am clueless!

 

[Katy]

Quote:
If you just ordered your first chicks today, I think you've got a long time to research incubating eggs by using the search feature to find the answers to all your incubating questions. It's going to be many months till you have any eggs from those chicks unless you're planning on ordering hatching eggs.

It's much easier to answer specific questions that you have, rather than us just telling you everything you need to know.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

I know lol, but I am a worry wart and want be able to get a good sleep if I don't know. I just want the basic steps in incubating.

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

All right, here we go!
Step 1: Get incubator and auto turner. *AUTO TURNER IS MUCHO IMPORTANTE!*
Step 2: Order fertile hatching eggs. I like eBay for eggs, have had some good luck, or the BYC auction pages.
Step 3: Set up incubator like this: 99.5° F and add water to make humidity 45-55%
Step 4: Once eggs arrive, let sit for 6-24 hours for yolks to settle.
Step 5: Place all eggs in incubator, record day on calendar
Step 6: Let sit in incubator for 18 days, maintaining constant 99.5° temperature and 45-55% humidity, with care not to open up AT ALL unless adding water
Step 7: Become the world's biggest basket case as you have impulses to open the incubator
Step 8: On day 19, open up incubator, place all eggs in egg cartons, and put egg cartons in incubator. Raise humidity levels to 55-65% and close incubator. This is what is known as LOCKDOWN; your incubator is not allowed to be opened until hatch is completed.
Step 9: Watch in awe as the chicks hatch before your very eyes
Step 10: After each chick is dry, open incubator and put into brooder.

Have fun! You can add candling info, TPBM. (

)

 

[Kittymomma]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=48726

Read the links in the sticky for incubating and hatching eggs that I posted for you above. You have lots of time so do some research (the search function is a life-saver) and then ask about anything you don't understand. There are lots of variables and different methods so the more you read the more likely you are to find a method or combination of methods that will work well for you.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Thanks so much! I think I get it a little better now!