Where Do You Stand With Incubation?

[3riverschick]

I like an incubator because the chicks R readily available to supplement properly the 1st 2weeks of life. I can watch what they eat and supplement. I have control over this precious developmental time. I can "develop" a much better chick than a broody hen can in that same time period.
Best,
Karen

 

[SoCalClucker]

Raise all chicks on 1/2 teaspoon of Poultry Nutridrench in a quart waterer.
For the first 2 weeks of life.

Thank you, I will be doing this!

 

[Cookiejen]

I have done both. Incubated to start because I didn't have a broody hen. It was so amazing to see the hatch. Almost felt like a momma myself! The only "drawback" was the brooder in my spare room for a few months. Chick dust is no joke..
integrating the flock can be challenging as well.

My glodenlaced Wyandotte has gone broody for the 3rd time with unfertilized eggs. I tried practically everything to break her but she was hell bent. She finally got me to crack and is happily sitting on 9 fertile eggs. She won't brood in vain this time!! (hopefully)...

My coworker breeds show chickens and told me I was nuts for letting my hen sit on "expensive" eggs (heck, if I'm footing her chick bill they will be breeds I want lol). I told him I wouldn't have purchased eggs if she wasn't determined to be a mom so they are hers in my eyes.

Last week my coworker said his wife let their broody have at it and she hatched all but one of 7. His best with bator was 2/40 with that specific breed.

I figure let Mother Nature do her thing unless you want an active role in the hatch or need to meet a timing requirement for chick orders. Or, of course, are teaching the next generation on the joys and wonder of chicken raising

 

[Jetblack2004]

I personally vote incubation. However much I love to watch a broody hen with her chicks out on the grass in the Spring time, I've found I've had a lot of trouble with broody hens.

Lots of my broodies have sat for 3 weeks, but when the chicks hatch, they kill them intentionally (which is horrid). Even if the hens don't intentionally kill the chicks, I constantly worry that she'll crush them with her feet, as I've had that happen several times.

My experience with Broodies hasn't been great, here are three of them:
1) The hen sits perfectly for the first to weeks. Then literally THREE days before they're due, I go out there and find the hen away from the nest, and the eggs stone cold.
If I'd had them in an incubator, this wouldn't have happened.

2) The hen sits on 4 eggs happily for 3 weeks. I go out on day 21 and find two totally squashed chicks, still not completely out of the eggs.
If I'd had them in an incubator, they would never have been crushed.

3) Three perfect fluffy chicks hatch on day 21. Mother is perfect with chicks and everything seems fine. The next morning I go out and find ALL THREE dead next to the slightly raised nest.
If I'd had them in an Incubator, they couldn't fall out.

This is just my experience. I've heard people have great luck with broodies and it works perfectly, but I find an incubator is better for me. Sure, there is the risk of power cuts that you don't get with a hen, but overall, the incubator is less risky.

-Jet

 

[GitaBooks]

I personally vote incubation. However much I love to watch a broody hen with her chicks out on the grass in the Spring time, I've found I've had a lot of trouble with broody hens.

Lots of my broodies have sat for 3 weeks, but when the chicks hatch, they kill them intentionally (which is horrid). Even if the hens don't intentionally kill the chicks, I constantly worry that she'll crush them with her feet, as I've had that happen several times.

My experience with Broodies hasn't been great, here are three of them:
1) The hen sits perfectly for the first to weeks. Then literally THREE days before they're due, I go out there and find the hen away from the nest, and the eggs stone cold.
If I'd had them in an incubator, this wouldn't have happened.

2) The hen sits on 4 eggs happily for 3 weeks. I go out on day 21 and find two totally squashed chicks, still not completely out of the eggs.
If I'd had them in an incubator, they would never have been crushed.

3) Three perfect fluffy chicks hatch on day 21. Mother is perfect with chicks and everything seems fine. The next morning I go out and find ALL THREE dead next to the slightly raised nest.
If I'd had them in an Incubator, they couldn't fall out.

This is just my experience. I've heard people have great luck with broodies and it works perfectly, but I find an incubator is better for me. Sure, there is the risk of power cuts that you don't get with a hen, but overall, the incubator is less risky.

-Jet

The same thing has happened to me. Have you separated the broody after the chicks hatched? Other hens will chase hens off the nest and kill their chicks or break their eggs. It may not be the mother killing the babies or causing them to go cold.

 

[Jetblack2004]

It is the mother hen. I seperate the broody from the start and put her on her own broody coop. It's really disappointing that my hens are such bad mothers

-Jet

 

[willzpapa]

I have no experience personally with incubators,

 

[Crazy Mama]

I've always loved watching any mother's with their babies and I've seen incubated, but It's so beautiful to watch how mothers protect their babies and teach them.

 

[Widlast]

Depends on the situation, I've done both. broody hens are certainly more convenient, but if no hens are available the incubator gets used

 

[aliciaplus3]

I have a broody and eggs in the bator both due monday.... this will be my second broody attempt and the 5th time hatching with my incubator