Which has a better hatch rate, incubator or broody hen?

[Lilorp14]

Hi, which has a better hatch rate, incubator or broody hen?

 

[Wezdin]

Broody hen all the way.

 

[Chicksnmind]

Broody if she doesn’t change her mind about being broody.

 

[Chicksnmind]

So far my only two hatches have had 100% hatch rate. First time 5 and the second 4. I have bantam chickens.

 

[R2elk]

Hi, which has a better hatch rate, incubator or broody hen?

If you do everything perfect with an incubator, you can have a 100% hatch rate. I have had a 100% hatch rate more than once with an incubator,

If everything goes right with a broody hen, she can have a 100% hatch rate. I have had numerous hens with 100% hatch rates.

It is more likely that everything will go right with a broody hen than it is for everything to go right with an incubator but either one can be very successful.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had horrible hatch rates with my incubator and broody hens. I've had great hatch rates with my incubator and broody hens. You never know how any specific hatch will turn out when you start whether with an incubator or with a broody hen.

To me the big advantage is the broody hen will raise them for you after they hatch. But I've been known to put some eggs under a broody and start some in the incubator at the same time and let the broody raise them all when they hatch.

 

[pepe1]

I usually get around an 80 percent hatch rate with my incubator and lose a couple in the first week but the one broody hen i had last year hatched 9 out of 9 and raised them without a loss. Broody hen all the way.

 

[varidgerunner]

Broody hen will hatch a higher percentage of chicks and they will be way healthier. Mechanical turners are sadly lacking compared to a good broody. Way less problems with crooked legs, necks, and things like that. She does the job of the incubator, and then automatically switches to brooder mode. No external power source required.

 

[aart]

Not sure there would be higher hatch rates with a broody,
but you don't have to adjust her thermostat.

Incubator hatch rates can greatly depend on the skill of the human operator.

Both broody and incubator hatch rates can depend on the health of the parent chickens and thus the health of their eggs.