FAQ

We aim to be a good source of information for new and experienced chicken keepers alike. We have included this section and will continue to work on it to provide as much help and information as we can. We welcome questions about any aspect of breeding or chicken raising!

WORK IN PROGRESS!

Incubating and Hatching

We sell hatching eggs and we carefully pack them to make sure they arrive in the best condition. Of course, there could always be issues. We can't control the postal service. Remove eggs CAREFULLY from the packaging and inspect for cracks or damage. If there are any cracks, do not incubate. The risk of the egg getting bacteria inside and going rotten is too great. Some people will seal any cracks with unscented candle wax but this is a personal choice.

Set your eggs pointy end down in an egg carton or tray for 24 hours after receiving them and before putting them in the incubator.

Incubation temperatures and humidity are a hotly debated subject, but I always incubate around 37.6-37.8C and I tend to prefer lower humidity during incubation (days 1 -18) with humidity levels being between 35% and 45% during this period. I then raise the humidity to 60% to 69% for hatching (day 18-21)
Everyone has their own preferences and what works best for them so it may take you some time to find what you prefer. There is lots of information on the internet on various ways to incubate and hatch! You can get lost for hours looking into it.

I recommend candling the eggs around day 8-10 as this is when it should be very clear what has started to grow and what hasn't. By Day 10, remove any eggs that show no signs of development.

On Day 18, I remove my eggs to a special hatching incubator that I have. It has no turner and I set the eggs in egg cartons. I find this works best as the eggs do not get jostled around by other chicks. If you put them loose in the hatcher, chicks can move the eggs around and cause problems for any chicks that are still unhatched. I carefully monitor humidity. I highly recommend buying extra thermometers/hygrometers and calibrating them (Google is your best friend when learnignto calibrate!) I personally use an analog thermometer/hygrometer as well as a digital one that has an app on my phone where I can monitor temperature and humidity levels in real time. I like to have three different ways to check the temperature and humidity as I have found that the ones included on incubators aren't always the most accurate.

Brooding

Your chicks have hatched. Congratulations! You will want to make sure you have a brooder set up, a large Rubbermaid tote with a heat lamp safely secured over it is common. You want to make sure the heat lamp has TWO different ways that it is hung up. If a heat lamp falls, it is very likely it can cause a fire.

I have never set a thermometer in my brooders but some people swear by this method. I've always done things rather simply and watched the chicks to see if they are comfortable. If they are huddled under the heat lamp, they are too cold. If they are spread out in a circle around it, arms out and looking too hot, they are overheating. You can adjust the heat lamps height based on these observations - move it closer if they are too cold and further away if they are too hot. Always provide plenty of space in the brooder where the chicks can get away from the heat under the lamp.

Always provide fresh water and food. Whether you choose medicated or non medicated chick starter is a personal decision.