Tips for a first time Hatcher?

[CHlCKEN]

Soon to be a first time Hatcher, I hope to start my journey this summer and will be buying my incubator sometime this month. I’m doing my research but I want to know any tips you may have for me, and get some answers to my few questions.
What do I need to buy? How long do I need to prepare, what steps should I take in doing so?
Also, since I plan to raise my birds until they can be feather sexed to keep some for myself, I want to know the best way to advertise birds who are at that age is.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

You need your own separate and calibrated thermometer and hygrometer. If you need recommendations, let us know and we can give you some good ones.

Depending on your incubator, you will need to set the temperature to 99.5F or 101.5F, 101.5F measured above the eggs.

I’d leave the incubator on 24 hours before setting the eggs in. Make sure everything works, especially (if you have) an auto turner(s).

I can’t help you with the wing sexing.

 

[CHlCKEN]

You need your own separate and calibrated thermometer and hygrometer. If you need recommendations, let us know and we can give you some good ones.

Depending on your incubator, you will need to set the temperature to 99.5F or 101.5F, 101.5F measured above the eggs.

I’d leave the incubator on 24 hours before setting the eggs in. Make sure everything works, especially (if you have) an auto turner(s).

Thank you! I would like recommendations.

I can’t help you with the wing sexing.

I meant saddle feathers when they are old enough, wing sexing doesn’t work.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

Thank you! I would like recommendations.

There's the Govee hygrometer on Amazon, and for a thermometers there's this one, and I use this one and it's also +/- 0.5F.

I meant saddle feathers when they are old enough, wing sexing doesn’t work.

Makes sense.

 

[CHlCKEN]

@MGG

 

[MGG]

@MGG

At your service!
What questions did you still have?

 

[CHlCKEN]

At your service!
What questions did you still have?

How do you sell older sexed birds? What mistakes do first time Hatchers usually make and how can I avoid them?

 

[MGG]

How do you sell older sexed birds? What mistakes do first time Hatchers usually make and how can I avoid them?

I just say POL pullets for girls, and that I'm selling to downsize the flock for new additions. I say that they're all healthy (obviously only if they are) and what breed they are. I usually ask $10 for pullets.
For cockerels, I give out any information about their personality I can. Don't lie about whether they're nice or not, it makes people upset. Always advertise honestly. I say that they're very beautiful young guys and need their own group of ladies to protect. I tell people to at least give them a chance before deciding to butcher or something too.
I ask $5 for cockerels usually.
That's what works for me, you'll have to experiment a bit with yours and see how much interest there is. If you're selling rarer birds, esp. rare breed pullets, you can ask $15 or possibly even $20 per bird.
I'll answer that second question in a bit, lol.

 

[CHlCKEN]

I just say POL pullets for girls, and that I'm selling to downsize the flock for new additions. I say that they're all healthy (obviously only if they are) and what breed they are. I usually ask $10 for pullets.
For cockerels, I give out any information about their personality I can. Don't lie about whether they're nice or not, it makes people upset. Always advertise honestly. I say that they're very beautiful young guys and need their own group of ladies to protect. I tell people to at least give them a chance before deciding to butcher or something too.
I ask $5 for cockerels usually.
That's what works for me, you'll have to experiment a bit with yours and see how much interest there is. If you're selling rarer birds, esp. rare breed pullets, you can ask $15 or possibly even $20 per bird.
I'll answer that second question in a bit, lol.

Thanks! Where do you advertise? Is it hard to do? Also what kind of temporary but secure living enclosure can I set up? Are hoop coops cheap enough for something like this? Obviously the boys will need their own space away from each other if I have very many so how do I set that up? I’ll be hatching EEs from the farm you got your recent eggs at! As mixes I assume they won’t go for more than 10 dollars and I’m not in this for the money anyway so it doesn’t matter to me.

I plan to be honest anyway, but worry that my boys will go unwanted. Have you ever had to deal with that?