# Incubation Setups for Beginners



## weirdo

Is this required to raise chickens? I'm getting started and am thinking I would rather by chicks to get started. 

If I do incubate, what is required?


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## Berta

Incubating is fun and addicting. You need an incubator, a thermometer and hygrometer to measure temp and humidity. You can get an automatic egg turner or turn them by hand. They "cook" in the bator for 21 days before hatching. ADDICTING! Make sure you have room for all the babies and a plan for the little roo's before you set any eggs.


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## Apyl

I garee with Berta , incubating can get addciting lol. First thing you'll need is an incubator, somewhere to plug the bator in and not move it for 21 days, thermometer to put inside, hydrometer for humididty ( yes you can do it without the hydrometer but your hatch rate will be very low compared to using one), and keep schedule to turn the eggs. Well unless you have an egg turner. You'll also need a brooder big enough to hold everyone until your ready for them to go outside. 

Personally starting out I prefer buying day olds, many hatcheries allow small orders for backyard breeder and if you want to have more they offer larger packages or you can pick them our individually.


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## Thebatesfamilywe

*addicted to incubating*

I absolutely love to incubate eggs. It is such an amazing experience. And with each hatch I am learning what to do, and what NOT to do. LOL.


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## Fetthunter

I bought a Brinsea Mini Advance incubator, and LOVE it! It maintains a constant (programmable) temperature, turns the eggs (customizable turn times and amounts), and can even be set to switch the heater off once per day to simulate the mother hen leaving the eggs to go and eat, etc. It has 2 water wells inside. You keep one filled for the first 19 days, then keep both wells filled for the remaining 2 days to increase the humidity for hatching. I just hatched 7 out of 7 Silkie eggs that I put in it, so it has proven itself to me!  I'm currently doing more eggs now. It's addicting!

Brinsea runs '10% off' specials on Facebook around holidays. I was able to get the incubator for around $115 + shipping. Considering that it's programmable for chicken, duck, pheasant, etc., I think it's a great investment.


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## Sundancers

My hubby has the whole incubator set up and all... I on the other hand, say get me some pullets.

 I guess I'm over the cute chick stage and would rather get on with the eggs for cooking. (what can I say.)

 I know I'm bad ...


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## Fetthunter

I've had people ask me why I didn't buy 1 day-old chicks online, or buy them locally instead of going the 'egg route'... 

Well, online companies have minimums on the number of chicks that they sell, and while I've found a few companies that will sell as few as 3, my minimum is usually 9 (they say that they have to ship that many to ensure they stay warm since they think that I live in 'the boonies' due to my ZIP Code, which is actually 5 minutes from the heart of a 300,000 person city. ). Plus when you order that many of one type/color, it's hard to 'customize' your flock (unless you want a BIG flock). As far as local purchasing goes, no place locally sells what I'm interested in.

By buying eggs and incubating them myself, I can find breeders who will sell me as many (or as few) eggs as I want, in whatever combinations of colors I want. It's great for flock building when you don't just want 40 white leghorns, for instance.

I currently have 7 bearded Silkies (5 Splash. 1 Blue, 1 Black) that turn 3 weeks old tomorrow. In another month I'll have 7 more (2 Blue, 2 White, 3 Buff). I'm going to raise them until they're old enough that I can determine the roosters, sell those, then add more hens until I have 12 hens total. Silkies are great pets, but not good layers, however in sufficient numbers we'll have enough Silkies to provide eggs for my family, which is the plan.


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## UncleJoe

I didn't find it as addicting as the rest of you.  I decided to let the girls do all the work since it comes naturally... most of the time.


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## VirginiaSue

I'm with Uncle Joe. I just got me some broody type of chicks so I won't have to deal with keeping the babies in the house in the future.  The chicks are cute and all but I'll let a mama do it the natural way and even give them their own little space in the coop so they will be safe.


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## abluechipstock

i bought a genesis 3 months ago and it hasn't stopped running since, i love it, great success, preset temp and hydrometer built in, i've already made my money back on chicks, pheasants and quail.


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## hollyosborn

I just purchased a Hova Bator 1602N after MANY attempts at my self made incubator.. got to day 19 this time ... and i think the babies died! BOOHOOO... incubator should be here the 12th... let the fun begin!*
*


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## castillofa

*Commercial Incubator or Home-built?*

I was hoping to get some insight from ya'll on the pros and cons of purchasing an incubator kit versus building your own. 

The cost is not of great concern, but rather the successful building of a good incubator. We raise our birds as a method of teaching our children how to be self sufficient, and while we are not 'greenies', no offense, I am more interested in the ability to successfully hatch eggs.

I have gone over several plans and with the availability of parts (Ebay ) it would not take very long to get running.

Any thoughts. Thanks.


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## Fetthunter

Speaking from personal experience, we bought a Brinsea Mini Advance (around $115 + shipping with a Brinsea Facebook coupon code). We put in 7 Silkie eggs, and 21 days later hatched 7 healthy chicks (they are now 6 weeks old). All I did was maintain the water level in the reservoir (had to add water every 2-3 days), and the incubator took care of the rest (maintaining the temperature, rotating the eggs every 45 minutes, shutting off the heater for 1 hour every day to simulate the mother hen getting off the eggs to eat/poop/etc.). I think it's an awesome incubator for the money. 

We're now on our 3rd batch of eggs in the incubator. We are also teaching our kids (7 and 10) about nature and how to take care of animals. This has been an awesome experience for all of us! 

We looked into building a styrofoam cooler incubator with a water heater thermostat, etc., and after seeing the problems that others had had maintaing a consistent temperature (plus it uses a light bulb as a heat source which leads to 'hot spots' in the incubator), we decided to go with something a little more reliable and easier to adjust (the Mini Advance can be programmed for quail, duck, and other eggs).

Your mileage may vary. That's just my experience.


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## twentynine

Gosh! Big question.

For just starting out I would go the day old route either ordered or purchased from a local feed and seed.

Incubator setups. The simple way-- go buy a name brand in your price range. Make sure it's forced air and auto turner. You spend anywhere from just under $100 to the sky is the limit.

Me I enjoyed building my own. But when doing your own, you can't be in a hurry to hatch. It may take a few week to get thermostat position. My home made is giving me 80-90% hatch rates.


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## BuckeyeChickens

weirdo said:


> Is this required to raise chickens? I'm getting started and am thinking I would rather by chicks to get started.
> 
> If I do incubate, what is required?


Lots of folks are perfectly happy buying chicks each year! However, incubation is easier than some folks think, it's educational (if you have kids they will love it) and as others have stated....it's addictive!

I recommend a Brinsea Eco 20 for folks just getting started because they maintain temp better than those "cheaper" styrofoam 'bators! Simply read the Brinsea instruction manual and you will be hatching chicks in about 21 days....just make sure you have your brooders ready!


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## ftwchopper

Or if you want to hatch a large amount of chicks,the gqf sportsman cabinet incubators work wonderful..I also recently bought a 1950's era redwood incubator that hold 800 eggs.It needs a little restoration but looks beautiful.


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## ftwchopper




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## ftwchopper




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## chickenmen

How many eggs do cochin bantams lay in a year


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## WaterFowl209

I made two homemade cooler incubators but the temps fluctuated and cooked the eggs, so I really had to adjust and ine tune them and now in one I get a steady 99F the other I get 97-99F but I will use those as backups and recently ordered the hovabator with forced air turbo fan, I sure hope this bator oes a better job.


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## profwirick

Fetthunter said:


> I've had people ask me why I didn't buy 1 day-old chicks online, or buy them locally instead of going the 'egg route'...
> 
> Well, online companies have minimums on the number of chicks that they sell, and while I've found a few companies that will sell as few as 3, my minimum is usually 9 (they say that they have to ship that many to ensure they stay warm since they think that I live in 'the boonies' due to my ZIP Code, which is actually 5 minutes from the heart of a 300,000 person city. ). Plus when you order that many of one type/color, it's hard to 'customize' your flock (unless you want a BIG flock). As far as local purchasing goes, no place locally sells what I'm interested in.
> 
> By buying eggs and incubating them myself, I can find breeders who will sell me as many (or as few) eggs as I want, in whatever combinations of colors I want. It's great for flock building when you don't just want 40 white leghorns, for instance.
> 
> I currently have 7 bearded Silkies (5 Splash. 1 Blue, 1 Black) that turn 3 weeks old tomorrow. In another month I'll have 7 more (2 Blue, 2 White, 3 Buff). I'm going to raise them until they're old enough that I can determine the roosters, sell those, then add more hens until I have 12 hens total. Silkies are great pets, but not good layers, however in sufficient numbers we'll have enough Silkies to provide eggs for my family, which is the plan.


can you move it? if/how?


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## cannedman

I have made quiet a few bators and have had great success with each one. The main thing is to use a fan and a good thermostat.

For anyone that has a homemade bator or is thinking about building one this is the way to go for a thermostat to control your heat*.







* http://www.ebay.com/itm/170848694225


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## shaneandkristy

This is our girl. Her name is Marilyn Monroe


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## SilkieBoy

What type of chicken is Marilyn Monroe?


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## RickaRae

I'm curious too??? A Brahma of some sort?


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