Incubator vs. broody

[Aunt ruth]

Im not hatching any chicks (I wish) but I'm curious to see what everyone's opinion is on hatching in an incubator vs. hatching from a broody.

 

[luvmypets]

Edited to say: srry for double posting.

 

[luvmypets]

Broodies are very reliable however there are exceptions. Incubators if you know how to use them are good. However there can always be temp spikes. So either way there is a downside. I am actually hatching both ways right now. I have three ducks eggs under a broody hen along with eight of her eggs. I have five bym from the coop in the incubator set to hatch on mon. The ducks hatch tommorow

 

[Aunt ruth]

Broodies are very reliable however there are exceptions. Incubators if you know how to use them are good. However there can always be temp spikes. So either way there is a downside. I am actually hatching both ways right now. I have three ducks eggs under a broody hen along with eight of her eggs. I have five bym from the coop in the incubator set to hatch on mon. The ducks hatch tommorow

Congrats! I wish I could hatch chicks but I can't have Roos so I would have to re-home any I got or send them to "the farm".

 

[luvmypets]

Congrats! I wish I could hatch chicks but I can't have Roos so I would have to re-home any I got or send them to "the farm".

Its actually quite easy to tell a roo from a hen in most breeds. You could maybe get eggs from a farm a little ways away idk just a thought.

 

[Aunt ruth]

Well, I only have room to keep about five bantams. Hens would be pretty easy to rehome but a rooster I would have to dispose of before it started crowing and I would hate to have to do that.

 

[luvmypets]

Oh i get it... In other news today is hatchday!

 

[Aunt ruth]

Yay!

 

[luvmypets]

I know so excited

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Broody hens will naturally hatch, keep warm, turn and humidify the eggs for you. Then when the chicks hatch there is no need to provide a heat lamp nor brooder as the hen is the heat and brooder for her babies. I think the only downsides to letting a hen hatch is that the chicks won't be as tame towards humans and the broody won't lay eggs for you for a while. But overall, I'd say that a broody hen is the best way to go.