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Hatching eggs for sale

Hatching

If you're lucky, you have a hen that will handle egg-hatching duties. Otherwise, an incubator will do. Here are the basics on both hatching methods.

Hatching with a Broody Hen

Prepare the nest with lots of bedding in a quiet, dark area of the shelter.

Place eggs (8 to 10) under the hen or in the nest when she's feeding

Check to see if she's going to "set" eggs. Remove her a few times and see if she returns to nest

Provide feed and water close to the nest

Broody hens are easily recognized by their behaviour. They spend most of their time on a nest and, when you get close to them, they ruffle their feathers and cluck.

Using an Incubator to hatch eggs

Gather eggs from a flock of hens with a rooster in the pen with them. It takes one rooster to every 3 to 10 hens to produce fertile eggs.

Store eggs in a place that's between 50 and 75 degrees F until they're placed in the incubator ( no longer than 10 days ) pointed end down 

Keep the incubator in a place that does not drops in temperature if possible this will help the hatch rate

Place an "X" with a pencil ( don't use a pen or marker this will penetrate the shell ) lightly on one side of egg. This will tell you if you have turned the egg

Turn the eggs at least two to three times a day for the first 18 days to stop the yolks from sticking to the inside of the shell . Do not turn them the last three days of incubation

After the chicks hatch (21 days ) you will need to use a heat lamp to keep the chicks warm for 3 to 6 weeks