is it possible to incubate eggs without an incubator?

[Poultry parent]

i don't have an incubator and was wondering if i could incubate eggs with a thermometer, brood lamp and a basket? if not are there other ways to incubate eggs that don't involve a hen or an incubator?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Go back to basics. What does an embryo need to be able to develop and prosper as a viable chick?

If you can provide a constant temperature of 99.5F with proper humidity (humidity is egg specific) It will grow and hatch. You have to determine if you can provide that environment for 21 days.
Some use about 40% humidity as a benchmark and 70% at hatch so the inner membrane doesn't shrink wrap the chick when it dries out. That would be a big problem without an incubator unless you live in a rainforest.
You can weigh the eggs to see if the proper amount of water is lost during incubation. They should lose 11-12% weight up till day 18 of incubation.

Most brooder lamps wouldn't be appropriate. Infrared heats what it is aimed at. That would create big temperature fluctuations from zone to zone that would doom an egg.

 

[sday615]

There was another post I read earlier (I have been reading through all the hatching threads today because I made a homemade incubator last month and am anxiously awaiting a hatch today or tomorrow) they hatched in egg in a basket on a heating pad I believe it was and then using a damp washcloth on it when it was hatching. I have also watched videos where people use heating pads in a Rubbermaid type of container with a blanket and a thermometer. If you're getting your eggs for free or cheap it couldn't hurt to try it.

 

[Poultry parent]

thanks!
i want to hatch some of our eggs so i wouldn't be wasting money