Teacher Incubating & Hatching

[Iluveggers]

Hi everyone!
This spring, I decided I will venture into the land of incubating & hatching with my elementary students! Our local extension office has incubators for educators to rent out for $20 (not sure what type/model), but I may order my own. So I have a couple of questions if you wouldn’t mind helping.

1. What incubator do you recommend? Our school is closed to staff on the weekend, so preferably an auto turn & not something that would need humidity added as frequently.

2 What day of the week to set? I was thinking Wednesday, so it would give me days 19-23 for hatching.

3. What is the best hatchery for ordering eggs? I want to pick out specific color eggs. Although I have a nice country property, I work in an inner-city, so many of my students have never seen an egg that isn’t white, so I think they’ll love a rainbow group of eggs! Will that make it hard to candle?

4. How many should I hatch? I was thinking 12. My class size should be between 18-24, and I think I’ll assign groups of 2-3 to each egg, and then larger groups to “own” each chick that hatches, knowing they won’t all hatch.

5. Any breed recommendations? I was thinking auto-sex breeds, so I would know what chicks were roosters and could rehome them early. Unfortunately I can’t give a chick to the students as the city ordinance doesn’t allow them to keep them, however I may ask if anyone has a family member outside the city that would like to take a chick home (& then verify residence when they pick up.) Me & another teacher both have chickens, so they will go to one of us once the project is over. I can keep 2 Roos, but I’m not banking on the

6. Anything else you think I should think of?

Cost is a small concern as I am paying for this project out of pocket, and our school is high poverty so there isn’t really a parent group to ask for help. I may apply for an educator grant for $100 which would help a lot. I have the rest of the supplies from brooding my own chicks, so it is pretty much just the incubator & eggs I’ll be spending on.

Thank you so much for your help! This project will happen in April of 2022 after our spring break since we have a long stint with no holidays or days off. 😊

 

[Iluveggers]

Bumping for help! Thank you!

 

[wolfwalker]

1) if you are purchasing it, a NR360 for the main reason it is auto-turning and has the largest viewing area of any incubator. You can coble together a way to keep the channels full over the weekend with a drip into the reservoir if needed. around 150$

2) since 21 days is the average not an absolute, planning on a Wednesday hatch would be best. That gives you a plus or minus 2 day window.

3) Hatcheries are pretty much out of stock on a lot of what they ship. You might post a request in your state thread as you might get donations. Plus they won't be unseen damage from shipping. Shipped eggs if you get a 50% hatch rate is considered great. I know if a local teacher contacts me I would donate eggs, in most cases I get the chicks back but even if I didn't I would donate.

4) an NR 360 holds 22. If you go the route of shipped eggs fill it up as half will not develop. I would hate to only have 12 and only two develop and 1 hatches.

5) there are autosexing breeds that lay colored eggs. Legbar comes to mind as they lay a bright blue egg. 70% of the rest can be sexed by 4 weeks old.

6) you will need to set up a small brooder with a heat source. Hatching takes place over several days. I remove chicks every 12 hours from the incubator as I have had losses from chicks playing pool with the other eggs as they stumble around taking their first steps.

Plus have a plan in place to explain the eggs that don't hatch.

And do you mean April of 2022? if so you have a better chance of multiple breeds available as hatching eggs.

Breeds to consider

Auto-sexing

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/22-autosex-breeds-of-chickens-and-geese/

Any of the sex links, link cinnamon queens'- males white at hatch girls brownish lay a brown egg

If not being auto-sexing is not a deal breaker

Go for looks, those that are spectacular as they feather out as it would be nice to bring back pictures of the chicks as they grow up to show the kids.

Any of the polish, though they lay white eggs
Golden Laced Wyandotte's are stunning lay brown eggs
Dark Brahma's the hens are also stunning lay jumbo brown eggs
Americana's the pure breed also lay a blue egg
Easter eggers lay a blue through green color egg

that should get you started

 

[Iluveggers]

1) if you are purchasing it, a NR360 for the main reason it is auto-turning and has the largest viewing area of any incubator. You can coble together a way to keep the channels full over the weekend with a drip into the reservoir if needed. around 150$

2) since 21 days is the average not an absolute, planning on a Wednesday hatch would be best. That gives you a plus or minus 2 day window.

3) Hatcheries are pretty much out of stock on a lot of what they ship. You might post a request in your state thread as you might get donations. Plus they won't be unseen damage from shipping. Shipped eggs if you get a 50% hatch rate is considered great. I know if a local teacher contacts me I would donate eggs, in most cases I get the chicks back but even if I didn't I would donate.

4) an NR 360 holds 22. If you go the route of shipped eggs fill it up as half will not develop. I would hate to only have 12 and only two develop and 1 hatches.

5) there are autosexing breeds that lay colored eggs. Legbar comes to mind as they lay a bright blue egg. 70% of the rest can be sexed by 4 weeks old.

6) you will need to set up a small brooder with a heat source. Hatching takes place over several days. I remove chicks every 12 hours from the incubator as I have had losses from chicks playing pool with the other eggs as they stumble around taking their first steps.

Plus have a plan in place to explain the eggs that don't hatch.

And do you mean April of 2022? if so you have a better chance of multiple breeds available as hatching eggs.

Breeds to consider

Auto-sexing

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/22-autosex-breeds-of-chickens-and-geese/

Any of the sex links, link cinnamon queens'- males white at hatch girls brownish lay a brown egg

If not being auto-sexing is not a deal breaker

Go for looks, those that are spectacular as they feather out as it would be nice to bring back pictures of the chicks as they grow up to show the kids.

Any of the polish, though they lay white eggs
Golden Laced Wyandotte's are stunning lay brown eggs
Dark Brahma's the hens are also stunning lay jumbo brown eggs
Americana's the pure breed also lay a blue egg
Easter eggers lay a blue through green color egg

that should get you started

Thank you! I googled the NR 360 and will be watching for deals on it in the next few months! I will try my state thread for eggs for sure, that’s a great idea. I did mean April 2022 whoops! My students are 10 and 11 so I think I’ll be able to convey how some eggs may not develop or hatch. We do a garden until as well so I’ll explain just like sometimes a seed doesn’t germinate, sometimes it starts germinating but conditions cause it to die, & others grow big & strong. Great idea on getting a polish, I’m sure the kids would have never seen a chicken like that! I appreciate the advice!