Chicken Incubator

If you are one of those new chicken owners then I bet you must be dreaming about freshly laid organic eggs everyday! What’s more, you must also be wondering what you would do with the first egg, whether you would cook it or let it grow and be a part of your flock.

But before we go into all that, let’s talk about the thing that will get you the precious chicks. Yes, I am talking about a chicken incubator. This equipment is going to help you turn an egg into a chick. Although a wide range of incubators are available for sale in the market you can even build one on your own. Actually, if you plan to hatch only a few eggs, then picking up a simple incubator from a store is better. But if you think that the eggs will be considerable in number, then it is better to have a customized one that you can make by yourself.

All you need to make a chicken incubator is a large and thick cardboard box with a lid, a thermometer, 60 watt bulb, tape, scissors and electric cord with light socket. The most important thing about an incubator is that it should allow appropriate temperature control for eggs to hatch properly. Also the extent of humidity is another consideration for a chicken incubator.

Click Here for How to Build A Chicken Coop Blueprints!

The eggs need heat but in a regulated and controlled amount. So never place the chicken incubator in direct sunlight, it will kill the embryo. However, not enough heat may also be detrimental to the development of the egg. Your chicken incubator should be large enough to accommodate the eggs and let you access them for turning. There should be openings both on the top and bottom of the box to let air flow in and out of the box.

The temperature inside the box should always be warm and humid. To be more precise, a range of 97 to 103 Fahrenheit is suitable for the development of the eggs. A humidity level of 60-75 percent has to be maintained in the chicken incubator. To measure these conditions, always ensure presence of a thermostat and a hygrometer in the chicken incubator.

Once the eggs have been laid, they need to be turned at regular intervals. Every portion of the egg should be made to face the heat source one at a time. The person who turns the eggs should wash his hands with soap and water before touching them. The eggs must be turned four times a day in the clockwise direction with the rounded side always kept in an upright position.

When the eggs start hatching, check the chicken incubator after an interval of say eight hours. Let the healthy chicks come out of the shells by themselves. If unfortunately an egg does not hatch even after 23 days, it is best to discard it. Remember you win some and you lose some; this saying goes in case of eggs too.

If you’re ready to build a chicken coop check out this complete guide and design plans.