Harching Chicken Eggs - My automatic incubator

[gardenerking]

Hello,

For the first time I used my automatic incubator for hatching my chickens eggs.

I got many pictures during the process.

Steps ---> Hatching chicken eggs

[Dr.3D]

You must live where it's warm. I've always had to wait till spring to hatch eggs.

[osan]

You must live where it's warm. I've always had to wait till spring to hatch eggs.

That is what the hatcher is for.

[Dr.3D]

That is what the hatcher is for.

Yes, but after they have hatched, you then put them in the brooder till they are big enough to go outside. If it's too cold outside, they won't be able to live till they have all their feathers. Also, you have to keep them away from the rest of the flock till they are big enough to be able to contend with the hen pecking they will get.

[osan]

Yes, but after they have hatched, you then put them in the brooder till they are big enough to go outside. If it's too cold outside, they won't be able to live till they have all their feathers. Also, you have to keep them away from the rest of the flock till they are big enough to be able to contend with the hen pecking they will get.

At our house, that is what the laundry room is for.

Raised 21 black Australorps. One disappeared for two days. I found her yesterday morning, can't walk and light as a feather, but she made it through the night. Prob. just malnourished, so we will see.

[Todd]

Good thing this doesn't take two years to set up like a pizza oven.

[presence]

Yes, but after they have hatched, you then put them in the brooder till they are big enough to go outside. If it's too cold outside, they won't be able to live till they have all their feathers. Also, you have to keep them away from the rest of the flock till they are big enough to be able to contend with the hen pecking they will get.

I use a small metal dog kennel. I have 1/2" square wire platform about 10" from ceiling with a small ramp for them to get up. A 60w bulb hangs in the space between the crate ceiling and the chicken wire.... then the whole thing gets covered in a canvas. The whole contraption sits in the unheated shed or barn. A dozen or two hatchlings can tolerate about 15F like that huddled up near the bulb. If it gets any colder I just add another 60w and they're fine down to sub zero. If it gets too hot they retreat to lower level.

[kahless]

I use a small metal dog kennel. I have 1/2" square wire platform about 10" from ceiling with a small ramp for them to get up. A 60w bulb hangs in the space between the crate ceiling and the chicken wire.... then the whole thing gets covered in a canvas. The whole contraption sits in the unheated shed or barn. A dozen or two hatchlings can tolerate about 15F like that huddled up near the bulb. If it gets any colder I just add another 60w and they're fine down to sub zero. If it gets too hot they retreat to lower level.

pics?

[TheTexan]

Where did you get the eggs from ?

[presence]

..

[presence]

pics?

hmm sorry, its broken down right now between seasons.

I'll help a little with the description though.

One of these, minus fido:


on the second side bar down from the top I create a second floor with 1/2" mesh wire (hard wire cloth)

For a stair well, I cut a 4" x 8" hole in the wire... and make a 4" wide ramp down to the lower level so they can easily climb up/down to get away from the heat

lower level gets covered in leaves/wood filings/newspaper etc.

Then I put one of these in so that the bulb sits on the wire shelf a few inches in from the edge of the kennel; I strap in down with some zip ties so it can't touch the canvas wrap. No reflector... birds can get as close as they want to the bulb; kind of like a camp fire.



I strap in one of these diy soda bottle waterers to the side wall; works on same principle as those 5 gallon culligan human water dispensers. Mine's a little different and sits outside the cage and is accessible by poking their head through bars; same concept though...slightly different pvc configuration:


On the opposite side of the cage, strapped to outside with some zip ties is a pvc feeder kind of like:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/26/cf/83/26cf8310e51649a91c0a8e5d56b6d170.jpg

except T shaped with more openings down the side of the cage; key being both water and food are outside of cage so that poop can't fall in.


Then the whole thing gets a 6x8 canvas overtop.... if really cold 2 or 3 canvases or Y fitting on my light bulb assembly and a second bulb. either way I leave some room for the whole thing to breathe near the bottom.

Then heat rises... creates natural warm spot up high and cool spot with food and water down low. It works really well to create a "climb up at night" culture... which helps later as they become full size birds when free ranging to get them to climb back up into their night roosts. Chickens naturally want to roost in the highest part of their cage.



I got my light cord from one of those reflective brooders minus the reflector:


when its cold and the birds are huddled up near the bulb is best time to open cage for cleanout; alternatively... one season I used 1/2 mesh on bottom also in place of drip pan. Then set whole thing on saw horses and let waste fall through to barn floor. Made clean up really easy.