When should I start incubating eggs?!??

[Camtheduckguy]

Hi currently it’s around the beginning of January. I was wondering when I should start incubating chicken eggs. This year I was planning to do a lot more incubating than what I normally do. When is a good time to do the first incubation? I live in North Carolina so the average lowest temperature in January is about the freezing temperature. At the last incubation I want to do ducks and make it to where the’re start laying. So basically make them lay before winter. Please help?!

 

[Cntry1958]

First thing you need to decide is where your going to put them in a brooder. Will it be outside or in the house for a few weeks until they are feathered or the weather breaks. Next decide what breed you want to incubate and find out how long before they begin laying. What color eggs you want them to lay so you can get the correct type of eggs. If you know all this then its time to plan out your incubation.
Pick the breed: Say you want Easter Eggs for their colorful Blue Eggs
Period till they laying: Say its 24 weeks=6 months from hatch date.
Then you count out in months and find out when they would be laying roughly.
So that would be sometime in July if placed in incubator soon.
I hope this helps.

 

[Camtheduckguy]

Ha I’m planning to do Easter eggers. I have a strong heat lamp. I was thinking if I do the beginning of February the’re be out of the egg and grown a little close to the beginning March

 

[aart]

Problem with hatching this early is fertility.
Hens may not be laying so well and cockbirds may not be as active.
Are you hatching from your own birds or.....?