What will I need to get started for incubating eggs?

[WooingWyandotte]

I'm looking into incubating Trader Joe's fertilized eggs. What would I need to get started? What temp and humidity for the incubator? What type of incubator? Should I make one or buy one? And are Leghorns the breed of Trader Joe's fertilized eggs?

Any comments are appreciated, I'll need all the help I can get.


WooingWyandotte

 

[ScissorChick]

What would I need to get started?
1.) Incubator
2.) Fan & turner (Optional)
3.) Thermometer
4.) Water ~Obviously, you can get it from the sink

~
5.) A pencil, and a notebook or calender ~to keep track of eggs~
6.) Hygrometer ~I don't use one, but it's good to have one~
7.)A brooder set up for chicks when/if they hatch

What temp and humidity for the incubator?
If you have a fan for the incubator, the temp. should be 99.5° F.

For incubators that do not have fans, keep temps. around 102° F.

For humidity, keep it around 50-55% for the first 18 days.
Last three days [lockdown] you should bump it up to 60-65%.

What type of incubator? Should I make one or buy one?
I would buy one, since your so new to this.

It sounds like you're really new to this. Please do all the research
you can, before getting your eggs.

-ScissorChick

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Google is your friend:

How to Hatch Chicken Eggs
https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-hatch.html

Hatching and Brooding Small Numbers of Chicks
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/di0631.html

Incubation and Embryology Questions and Answers
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/res32-qa.html

Incubating
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/tech_manuals/cage_free/incubating_eggs.pdf

How To Incubate Chicken Eggs
http://www.howtoincubate.com/

Incubating Your Eggs
http://www.shilala.com/incubating.html

How To Incubate and Hatch Chicken Eggs At Home

 

[WooingWyandotte]

Thank you so much!

 

[Arielle]

OP thanks for the question--have read about everything here on BYC and then a big surprize look at all the site from A T Hagan!!! Thank you AT, more for us newbies to read! Love BYC!!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If those still aren't enough do a Google search on "incubating chicken eggs" without the quote marks. The ones I listed above were just those from the first page of results.

 

[WooingWyandotte]

I am tempted to try making a incubator. Seeing all the info about it on Google it doesn't sound terribly hard, I'd be up for it. I have one question, to control humidity you can either use a hygrometer or a couple sponges in water, which one is better?

 

[A.T. Hagan]

The hygrometer only measures the humidity in the air in the incubator. You then use a pan of water, wet sponges, water misters, or whatever to increase the humidity inside if you need to based on what the hygrometer tells you.

 

[Rbl4life]

I made an incubator out of styrofoam cooler. I made a tray with wire mesh that sits about 2 inches off the bottom, and i put water trays under it. I use a 25 watt lightbulb through the top and a thermo/hydro i bought from Walmart gor 10 bucks. There is abourt 20 screw driver sized holes in it, and the temp usually stays right at 102. It was very easy to make and cost about $30 all-together. I put 14 eggs in it, and 13 are working out. One got a bacteria ring in it. they are just finishing day ten, and they look awesome! I can see them moving in there! but over-all it was a cheap way to hatch eggs i think.

 

[WooingWyandotte]

How nice, a lot better than $160 bucks! One more question concerning a hygrometer; is it absolutely necessary to have one?