Novice Incubator/Chicken keeper looking for help

[CoolClucker]

Hello! I am brand new to all of this and wow it seems like there is so much to learn. I'm trying to decide between getting baby chicks to start or eggs to hatch. I really want to incubate but have no clue where to begin. Can anyone with experience give some advice? I don't have unlimited money for an incubator so money saving tips are a plus. I really have my heart set on females, but if I incubate and get males what do I do then? Is it very difficult to do? I'm leaning toward incubating also because I have read that chicks imprint on you and I want to have my chicks tame as possible and want to bond with them. Thanks for any help!

 

[3BirdGirlz]

Incubating can be a challenge. I'm newer to it and have had a couple of bad hatches mostly due to shipped eggs which had bad air cells and those are hard to hatch ...but I didn't give up! I did get a really good incubator...I got the Brinsea mini advance, and it does cost more than some. But others on here use different kinds with good results too. DO your research if you want to incubate! Lots if good info here on BYC.

Day old chicks will tame down really easy. Ive done it my whole life. And you dont have to wait so long to see how many you'll get. Plus you can buy already sexed chicks and won't have to worry about getting rid of roosters.

Just keep doing your research and you'll figure out what you want to do.

 

[BunkyB]

Hiya Cool...so you want to take the big step.Either way you do it, chicks to start or incubation. Give it some good thought to begin with as it is a commitment from the get go. Loving, learning fun. A few hiccoughs pop up with deaths of chicks or untimely events such a power outage or something and the incubator shuts off, those things that must be thought about in the back of the mind. They can be a good chunk of work as they grow as well.7 days a week.

If you are nervous or I say anxious to start and this is absoluty new to you I would try getting a few chicks at first. You wouldn';t want to find out in a short time that it was not meant for you. The expense alone for a small incubator,feed,dishes,etc. It can be a costly beginning sort of speak and it is in my opinion only that a few chicks, get to love it as you probably will. If it is there for you stash a couple of bucks aside, cash in those pop bottles that float around and make yerself up a little Project Fund. Itr takes about a year to figure things out and you are learning 24/7 with chicks and the growing stages. They will still bond with you because they need someone to manipularte to spoil them. Many breeds are tameable and a lot of breeds are very skiddish and difficult to tame leaving you frustrated if the expectations are high.

You also have some awesome people nhere who will surely lead you down the right path. I am new here myself and I am blown away with the friendliness here and the knowledge here is limitless !!! I am sure you and I are going to be part of the pack. By the way I have been raising chickens for many years now and I still consider my birds my first love for pets. So go treat yourself and take the first step. You will never turn back..lol
Good luck, have fun... BunkyB

 

[3BirdGirlz]

True about chicken breeds. I love Cochins! Very lovable an sweet. So you also need to research breeds....bantam or standard size to fit what you want