Possibly Hatching some eggs with an incubator next year-questions

[LillianMae]

I'm planning on hatching some chicks with an incubator next year. I have a lot of questions:
1. About what is the average cost of making an incubator with an automatic egg turner?
2. How long does it take for them to hatch?
3. Where are some good designs on making a brooder?
4. Is it really hard?
5.Do you have any good book recommendations on it?
6. Will the chicks think I'm their "Momma"?
7. Is it possible to hatch as small a number as four eggs?
8. Will the chicks be tamer if they think I'm their mom?

Thanks, Lillian

 

[tec27]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

read everything in there.

just buy an incubator. The cheap incubators cost around the same price as what it would take to build one. You can get a nice cheap one for $40. With an egg turner though, closer to $70-$80.

In my experience, the chicks never thought i was their momma. Sometimes they are tame, sometimes they are not. Depends on the personality of the chick. Some chicks are skittish, some arent.

You can hatch one egg if you want to.

 

[Pinky Macgyver]

Yeah, I vote buy one. It's not as cost effective to make as you might think. The biggest cost is a thermostat. Without one you'll have to check temp CONSTANTLY and regulate it by having two lights, one you keep on and the other to turn off and on to raise/lower the temperature. When I tried a homemade one I also had a clear top that I could cover or uncover to adjust heat.
If you're into building stuff, give it a try. Make your own design. You can search on this site for other people's designs too. You just need to be able to balance temp, humidity and ventilation.
But yeah, I vote for buying one less stress

 

[ozexpat]

I'm planning on hatching some chicks with an incubator next year. I have a lot of questions:
1. About what is the average cost of making an incubator with an automatic egg turner? buy the turner. a great digital thermostat on ebay is 15 dollars with shipping from china. a 12 v fan is 8 bucks but use a 5 volt phone charger to slow it down. I also use solid state heating elements from ebay instead of lights 110v, 150 watts 11 bucks. you can get foam board from home depot cheap. if you want small then just get a small brinsea that will do 8 eggs. just remember - not many can stop at 8.
2. How long does it take for them to hatch? 504 hours or 21 days
3. Where are some good designs on making a brooder? look in the bator and brooder designs forums
4. Is it really hard? provided you get stable temps and follow the hatching 101 lessons in the link in my signature, its not hard
5.Do you have any good book recommendations on it? do some searches on here for articles, otherwise storeys guides are good as well as the dummies series here
6. Will the chicks think I'm their "Momma"? its rear for a chicken to imprint on you
7. Is it possible to hatch as small a number as four eggs? yes - but if you buy shipped eggs you will need more as the hatch rate is 50% at best. local eggs are better, Do you want 4 hens? then you need ti hatch atleast 8 eggs that hatch
8. Will the chicks be tamer if they think I'm their mom? chicks are tamer through handling but some breeds are skittish. research breeds, decide what you are looking for in a chicken.

Its no shame to buy a few chicks if its daunting

Thanks, Lillian

 

[LillianMae]

I know, I raised chicks my whole life and have some now Thanks for the info/answers! I might just do hen hatching next year, because that does seem a little bit expensive:| At least for me right now it is. Thanks