Well beginning of this year I started my chicken journey. I have never thought I would enjoy having chickens so much. I now have a lot of friends that want chickens but would rather get them from me the a store. I am looking to get an incubator and was wondering what is a good easy one to start with. Also what is the best way to store my eggs till I am ready to incubate. I just want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row before I start this project. Is there anything I need to make sure I have on hand when they hatch besides some chick starter and should it be medicated? I am open to any advice to make sure I can do this right. Thank you so much!!
As for incubator, I'd suggest you look at your budget, and then do some reviews, ask folks what they think of the models you are looking at. I've built my own with hubby's help for electrical. That is an other option for you. The wiring is not too difficult. There are a lot of tutorials out there. Look at Rush Lane Poultry for some videos.
Your choice re: medicated or not. I choose to not medicate, and work on building immunity through natural means: mainly giving them early access to my soil, and giving fermented feed. Don't let any one tell you that you must use medicated, or for that matter, that you SHOULD NOT use medicated. It is your choice. Do the homework, and make your own decision.
I highly recommend that you have Poultry Nutri-Drench on hand and use it for the first week with your chicks. I also use it with my layers before I start to collect hatching eggs. Do everything in your power to be sure your layers and your roo have excellent nutrition in the weeks leading up to collecting eggs: plenty of protein, access to greens. I use fermented feed. That helps with nutrition also.
Do all of your homework re: incubation methods: low humidity through day 18, then increase to 65-75% thereafter. Read the literature in the learning center. I brush up on that before every hatch. Do a review re: assisted hatch, and before you are faced with the issue, decide where your husbandry philosophy falls regarding that matter. IMO, one should never plug in an incubator until they have thoroughly educated themselves re: hatching methods.
Be sure your thermometers (yes, plural) and hygrometer are calibrated. Run that bator for several days, if not a week with water bottles to = the volume of eggs you will be incubating to familiarize yourself with it's quirks, and be sure you know where the warm and cool spots are in it. Even forced air bators may have temp fluctuation.
Have an exit plan for roos. Never hatch an egg unless you are capable of culling any chicks that may need to be culled.
Enjoy. IMO, watching the development of a chick: (fresh egg to hatch, and beyond) is one of the greatest joys of having birds. It's absolutely amazing to peer into an egg and watch that chicklet dancing in there! Such a miracle to hold in the hand and observe!!!
