Breeding chickens in an incubator. Hatching chickens in an incubator at home. Which is better: raised with a hen or in an incubator?

Raising chickens is very popular not only among farms, but also among dacha owners. This process is labor-intensive and begins with hatching chickens in an incubator. This procedure is responsible, so novice poultry farmers should take into account all the rules for selecting eggs and carry out subsequent monitoring of the hatching of chicks before laying incubation material.

Selection and storage of eggs

Recently, many poultry farmers prefer to hatch chickens using an incubator, as this allows them to do without brood hens, producing chicks in any quantity and at any time of the year. In addition, if you hatch future chickens in an incubator, you can significantly save money on purchasing day-old chicks from the factory. The success of hatching chickens at home directly depends on both the experience and efforts of the owner and the quality of the incubation material. Therefore, before deciding on this process, it is necessary to pay special attention to the selection of eggs.

It should be noted that breeding chicks always begins with the control of the mother hen. You should first check her health status - if the laying hen has genetic diseases, then problems with the development of chickens are possible in the future. The eggs themselves are carefully selected according to the following quality criteria.

No smell. If there is a putrid, acrid, grape and moldy smell, then the material is not suitable for incubation.
Freshness. The shelf life of eggs that are planned to be placed in the incubator should not exceed 6–7 days.
Correct storage of samples. Collected eggs must be kept in rooms with a temperature of at least +12 C. Eggs stored in the refrigerator must be disposed of.
Correct form. Only oval-shaped samples that do not have depressions or growths are suitable for laying. Excessively elongated and spherical eggs are also subject to rejection.

Additionally, you need to check for signs of damage to the incubation material. To do this, the shell is carefully inspected, and if dried spots, dirt, dents and cracks are noticed, such eggs are rejected. Spots usually appear under the shell due to the development of bacteria; they can have different sizes and shades. In addition, for laying, experts recommend choosing samples weighing from 50 to 60 grams, since small ones will hatch into weak chicks, and large ones may contain two yolks.

After the eggs have been selected based on their external characteristics, the second stage of control begins; in this case, the samples must not be wiped or washed under any circumstances. The check is carried out using a special device - an ovoscope, which clearly illuminates the egg. During the candling process, you need to find the air chamber and the yolk - it is usually located near the blunt end of the egg or in the very center.

Eggs in which the yolk fits tightly to the inside of the shell are not allowed to be laid.

As for the air chamber, it should be located at the blunt end and have a volume the size of a teaspoon.

Process description

Incubation is a complex technological process that consists of certain stages, including collection and transportation of incubation material, quality assessment, disinfection, incubation, transfer of eggs to hatchers and hatching of chicks with subsequent monitoring of their health. In the case when laying eggs in the incubator is carried out for the first time, the poultry farmer needs to become thoroughly familiar with the sequence of this process and carefully study the instructions for using the incubator.

To hatch healthy chicks, eggs are disinfected at the first stage of incubation and placed in a clean container. Disinfection is carried out with formaldehyde vapor several times: immediately after collecting eggs from a chicken and before directly placing them in the incubator. They should also be transported correctly (when the incubation material is being prepared for sale), in specially designed vehicles that do not experience sudden changes in temperature. There is little time for collecting and laying eggs - only 6–7 days. They must be stored at all times under certain conditions: air humidity 75–80% and temperature from +8 to +12 C.

Then the eggs are placed in the incubator; for this, several schemes can be used.

All samples are simultaneously placed into the apparatus (there can be either 63 or 104 depending on the incubator model) with a pre-set heating schedule according to the temperature table. This home method is very convenient because the chickens hatch at the same time, but they need help breaking through the shell.
Eggs are added individually to the incubator once every three days or week. The earlier laid samples begin to emit heat and perfectly heat the later ones. This is a universal, but labor-intensive method.

If everything is done correctly, then around the 21st day of incubation you can expect the first chicks to appear, after which they need to be provided with appropriate care.

Preparing the device

To hatch chickens at home, various models of household incubators are used, including the most common are “Ideal Hen” and “Smart Hen” (manufacturer - Bagan company). This apparatus is a medium-sized box made of heat-insulating material with a maximum egg capacity of 120 pieces. The survival rate in these models is more than 90%, so they are a good replacement for automated farm incubators designed for several thousand eggs. Before laying incubation material, preliminary preparation of the apparatus is carried out - if this is not done, the entire batch may die.

Preparation includes two main stages.

Washing and disinfection. It is recommended to wash the incubator with a solution made of water and laundry soap. Additionally, a few drops of iodine are added to it. The resulting solution should be thoroughly treated with all parts of the device, and then dried.
Checking the operation of all incubator systems. You need to turn on the empty device for several hours and see how its humidity and temperature sensors work. In addition, the operation of the rotary mechanisms and time relays should be monitored.

Bookmark material

After the incubator is prepared for laying eggs, the actual incubation begins. This is a rather labor-intensive and complex process, which requires the following rules to be followed to obtain healthy chicks.

Do not place cold eggs in the incubator. Experts recommend placing the samples in a room with a temperature of +25 C 8–10 hours before laying. If the temperature is lower, the eggs will not have time to warm up and the embryo will begin to form incorrectly.
It is advisable to bookmark in the evening after 18 o'clock. This will allow you to get the first chicks early in the morning and subsequent ones throughout the day, which will facilitate their selection.
Eggs must be sorted by size in advance. The largest ones are laid out first, after six hours - the medium ones, and after another five hours - the smallest ones. Thanks to this, it will be possible to withdraw the entire batch at the same time.

Stages of chick formation

The chicken embryo goes through only four stages of development, each of which is characterized by the formation of internal organs and body parts of the future chick. At the same time, for each stage in the incubator it is necessary to create special conditions that would correspond to the natural ones as when planting a hen. The formation of chickens by week is as follows.

First week. During this period, the embryo develops the circulatory system, heart and all internal organs. Since the embryo does not have respiratory organs, it is too early to ventilate the chamber; this must be done on the last day of the week. In addition, during the first week you must turn all the eggs one by one every four hours (this will help avoid the embryo “sticking” to the walls of the shell). In order for development to occur correctly, an optimal humidity of 54% and a temperature of +37.8 C must be maintained inside the incubator.
Second week. At this time, the future chicken will have its beak and skeleton formed. The temperature in the incubator should be left the same as in the first week; as for humidity, it should be reduced by 10%. To ensure that the embryo receives oxygen, the chamber is ventilated for 5 minutes every 12 hours and the eggs are turned over at least 6 times.
18th day after laying. Humidity during this period is increased to 50%, the eggs are turned at least 6 times, and ventilation is carried out for up to 20 minutes, it is performed every 12 hours. By the end of the 18th day, the embryo begins to turn over inside the egg on its own, and when you bring the egg to your ear, you can hear a squeak.
21st since laying. This development period lasts only 3 days. There is no need to turn the eggs and the aeration time is reduced to 5 minutes. The temperature drops to +37.3 C, humidity rises by 15%. If all the previous stages of development went correctly, then on the 21st day you will notice small pecks on the eggs. Chicks usually hatch by the end of this day, after which they are allowed time to dry out, removed from the incubator and placed in a specially designed brooder.

Conclusion

The chick does not emerge from its “shell house” into the light immediately; this process occurs gradually. First, a small crack is noticed on the surface of the egg, which was formed as a result of the movements of the chicken. Then you can hear a distinct squeak, accompanied by a slight grinding sound (this is the baby scratching the shell from the inside with its claws and beak). The size of the crack begins to increase and it turns into a hole, which continues to grow until the shell breaks into two parts. It takes several hours for a newborn to take on the traditional chick look.

As a rule, the chicks hatch very amicably within one day and do not need outside help.

Moreover, if one of the chickens is delayed in “coming out,” he should be helped by slightly opening the shell, as a mother hen usually does.

Basic rules for caring for chickens

An important point in raising chicks is their rearing after hatching. Inspection of chicks must begin 7 hours after they “emerge.” To raise a healthy chicken in the future, you should carefully select chickens, giving preference to individuals that meet the following criteria:

absence of bloody marks on the umbilical cord;
soft and thick fluff on the body;
uniform beak of regular shape;
wings adjacent to the body;
presence of activity;
no eye damage.

Some poultry keepers are concerned about how to determine the sex of the brood. To do this, there are the following methods of checking: hens are fluffier and usually hatch first, while cockerels have a specific gland in the cloaca area.

Regardless of gender, chickens need to be provided with suitable housing conditions and good care. It's done like this.

During the first week, the room in which the box with chicks is placed should be heated to a temperature of +30 C. It should also have a lighting system, since chicks will need light for 24 hours in the first month of life. The baby's house must be constantly kept clean and the bedding must be changed regularly.
You can feed hatched chicks only the next day after they are born. It is best to choose liquid porridge and corn grits for this. Starting from the third day, chicks can be given cottage cheese and greens, pre-treated with boiling water.
Particular attention should be paid to the presence of fresh and clean water in the drinking bowl. At first, it is recommended to add glucose and ascorbic acid to it, which will contribute to the stability of the immune system.
We must not forget about heating the room where the chickens are planned to be housed. Hypothermia can cause the development of various diseases. It is usually accompanied by yellow diarrhea. Traditional methods and disinfection of the premises will help correct the situation.

The health of birds directly depends on the conditions of their keeping and a properly formulated diet.

If chicks are given low-quality food, they may develop food poisoning and vitamin deficiency. In addition, chickens often suffer from typhoid and salmonellosis, which are caused by dirt; these diseases are immediately identified by the appearance of white discharge on the litter. The appearance of red diarrhea indicates a serious disease - coccidiosis, which is treated with veterinary drugs and mandatory disinfection of the premises is carried out. If everything is done correctly in the maintenance, then over time the chickens will turn into energetic and healthy chickens.

Hatching young domestic chickens using an incubator is an artificial process, without which breeding of some breeds is impossible. And the industrial production of eggs and chicken meat also involves breeding chickens in an incubator. It is this method of derivation that will be discussed further.

Eggs intended for laying in an incubator are subject to a number of requirements, compliance with which guarantees the timely hatching of healthy and viable chicks for subsequent breeding. The video for this article illustrates the main points of breeding domestic chickens and caring for embryos.

Even a non-specialist understands that the masonry placed in the incubator must be fresh. Pre-incubation storage of embryos should not exceed ten days. Moreover, eggs should be stored in a cool place and always with the blunt end (base) up, periodically turning them around a vertical axis. A similar procedure must be performed twice a day.

Although the cleanliness of the eggshell is important for the selection of embryos when placing them in the incubator, eggs should not be washed. After such treatment, the masonry becomes unusable.

It is best to select specimens that are initially clean, of the correct oval shape, without chips or damage. Common shell defects can be seen in the photographs and video accompanying this material.

When viewing embryos through a special device (ovoscope), an air bubble (camera)
of high-quality eggs is located at the base and slightly shifted towards the shell. The yolk has a distinct color and is located in the center. The protein structure is transparent.

You should purchase eggs for placing in an incubator (incubator) at a poultry farm or from owners in whose integrity you are confident. Defects in the embryos can lead to the hatching of a sick and nonviable bird, or nothing will hatch from the eggs at all. Oddly enough, the time of year for incubation also matters.

Despite the fact that chickens lay eggs throughout the year, and the incubator is able to provide a constant temperature, it is still recommended to lay eggs in the incubator in the spring.

This is done so that the artificially bred young animals immediately find themselves in comfortable warm and dry conditions and have enough fresh green food. Chicks from an incubator are much more tender than their counterparts from laying hens, and they can only be raised into viable birds with proper care, which is only possible in the warm season. Summer is the optimal season for poultry breeding.

Preparation for hatching

Before placing embryos in a home incubator, it is necessary to carefully adjust the thermostat of the device so that the moisture content in the chamber is 60%. Fluctuations in humidity are extremely undesirable. Eggs are laid at a temperature in the incubator of 37.5 degrees. Such conditions are the most optimal.

When using a household home incubator, you must carefully study the instructions supplied with it, controls and incubation modes. To install the incubator, you should choose a flat and hard surface away from door and window openings and household appliances. The position of the device should be as stable as possible.

It is advisable to wipe the masonry shell with a dry cloth to remove dust. The incubator trays should be rinsed well with hot water and dried in the sun. To humidify the air, small containers of water should be placed on the floor of the home incubator. A ready-to-use incubator is shown in the video. The embryos should be placed in the incubator one day after turning on the device.

Incubation process

It is not necessary to constantly monitor the temperature and humidity in a working incubator; hatching of chicks occurs without human intervention, but you should not refrain from hatching chicks on your own. To ensure timely hatching of chicks from the nest, it is necessary to change the location of the eggs in the tray twice a day. The video at the end of the recording demonstrates how to do this. It is convenient to carry out the revolution of embryos using a special device. On the last day before chicks are hatched, the entire clutch should be positioned bottom down.

For the first two weeks, the temperature and humidity in the chamber are maintained at a constant level, and only on the 16th day is the thermostat set to 37.4 degrees, and the humidity level increases by ten percent. It should be remembered that even minor changes in temperature in one direction or another can lead to the death of embryos or disrupt the timing of hatching of chicks.

This process involves transilluminating the eggs with a beam of directed light, which allows the contents to be seen.

It often happens that an apparently ideal testicle has pathology. Ovoscoping minimizes the laying of eggs with internal pathology. Experienced farmers examine eggs with an ovoscope. If this special device is not available, you can use a candle, lantern or any lamp.

The eggs are ovoscoped for the first time before they are placed in the incubator. At this stage, fertilization and the presence of microcracks in the shell are determined.

Important! Eggs with cracks in the shell should not be placed in the incubator.

Signs of quality eggs:

Rejected eggs are removed, and suitable eggs are carefully disinfected and placed in the incubator. The eggs are ovoscoped again a week after laying and a third time on days 11-14.

Read more about the rules for selecting and testing eggs for incubation.

Checking the serviceability of the device

The device is run empty for the first time to identify possible defects. The incubator runs idling for 3 days. Next, the device is washed, dried, and inspected for external damage. The doors of the device should fit snugly to the body, but at the same time open easily.

Check the operation of the fan, humidifier, heating elements, and lights of the incubator. The operation of the fan is checked by manually rotating the impeller.

Before starting the incubator, make sure that the grounding contacts are intact and that there are no foreign objects near the moving elements. The device is installed on a horizontal surface so that it does not wobble, avoiding drafts.

We talked about what types of incubators exist and how to make this device with your own hands in.

How to bookmark?

Selected eggs must be kept indoors before being placed in the incubator. Otherwise, when immersing them in a heated chamber, condensation will form. This will lead to climate disruption and the appearance of mold, which is fatal for the embryo.

Therefore, 8-12 hours before incubation, eggs are kept at a temperature of 25 ° C, avoiding drafts. It is advisable to lay chicken eggs horizontally (you can find out more about the incubation period of chicken eggs and what its duration depends on).

Then they heat up evenly. Although vertical installation is acceptable. The eggs are placed on trays in groups at regular intervals (4 hours): first large, then medium, and finally small.

Bookmark algorithm:

Warm up the incubator to the set temperature.
Treat eggs with an antiseptic or disinfect with ultraviolet light.
Distribute the eggs on the tray.
Place the tray into the incubator.
Close the device doors tightly.

Many incubator models provide automatic egg turning. If there is no such function, the eggs are turned manually 10 to 12 times a day.

Temperature, humidity and other parameters in different periods and types of incubators (tables)

The air in the device should not warm up more than 43°C. Short-term hypothermia (not lower than 27°C) or overheating of eggs (no longer than a couple of minutes) is allowed. Read more about what temperature conditions should be when incubating chicken eggs.

If the heat source is localized from above, then it is optimal to maintain 40°C at the top cover. If heating elements are on all sides, then 38.5°C. The lower norm of air humidity is 45%, the upper norm is 82%. Humidity levels vary relative to the incubation period.

Important! Fluctuations in temperature and humidity slow down ontogenesis and are fraught with diseases in future chicks.

Table of optimal temperature and number of turns when incubating chicken eggs

Days	Temperature, °C	Turning over, once a day
1-7	37,8 – 38	Minimum 6
8-14	37,8 – 38	5 – 6
15-18	37,8	4 – 5
19-21	37,5 – 37,7	—

Table of correspondence between humidity and temperature during incubation

Days	Temperature, °C	Humidity, %
1-7	37,8 – 38	50-55
8-14	37,8 – 38	45-50
15-18	37,8	50
19-21	37,5 – 37,7	65-70

Standards for incubation in a foam incubator (Blitz type). The foam device differs from mechanical ones. And the technology is great too.

Day	Temperature	Humidity	Flipping	*Cooling (times minutes)**
1-3	37,8-38	65-70	At least 2-3 times a day	–
4-13	37,5-37,8	55		1 * 5
14-17	37,5-37,8	70-75		2 * 5
18-19	37,2-37,5	70-75	Shifting only	3 * 10
20	37,2-37,5	70-75	–	3 * 10
21	37,2-37,5	70-75	–	–

Watch a video about the incubation modes of chicken eggs, temperature and humidity in the incubator:

Stages of hatching by day and optimal temperature values

The entire process of incubation of chicken eggs takes an average of 20-22 days. Sometimes it takes 1-2 days longer due to the low temperature in the incubator. But you shouldn't wait more than 25 days. Conventionally, these 22 days can be divided into 4 stages:

From 1 to 7 days.
From 8 to 14 days.
From 15 to 18 days.
From 19 to 21 days.

Below are important points you need to know during different periods.

How to maintain the necessary conditions in the device?

Temperature and humidity are monitored at least every 8 hours. If the power goes out, you need to provide another power source for the device. If this is not possible, then warm it with hot water bottles. Do not overdo it with ventilation, otherwise the shell will dry out and it will be more difficult for the chicks to hatch.

Attention! It is important to monitor ventilation, which removes the products of embryonic respiration and fills the air with oxygen. If the device has automatic egg turning, you must turn it off 2 days before the bite.

Common mistakes

Using an incubator without instructions.
There is no diary of observations.
Violated before laying (for details about what the storage temperature for hatching eggs should be, read, and you can find out what the shelf life of raw chicken eggs is).
The size of the eggs is not taken into account when laying.
Poor quality sampling of eggs on an ovoscope.
Lack of disinfection of eggs before laying.
Contamination in the incubator.
Incorrect choice of temperature and humidity operating mode for the incubator.
Frequent and prolonged fluctuations in temperature and air humidity.
The eggs don't turn over.
Installing the device on an uneven surface, in a draft.

To get a good result, it is important to follow the basic rules. And writing in diaries will help you remember to turn the eggs or ventilate the incubator. In the future, based on the records, repeated errors can be avoided. This is a troublesome business, but very entertaining.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

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Arrangement of the premises

Poultry farmers who are faced with the question: how to raise chickens without an incubator must understand that this cannot be done without creating comfortable conditions in the chicken coop.

In this regard, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

arrangement of the poultry house - placement of perches, nests;
maintaining cleanliness in the chicken house;
ensuring proper microclimatic conditions.

A comfortable chicken coop, which is suitable for hatching eggs without an incubator and hatching chickens, should have a relatively small size - 3 x 4 m. This area will allow you to retain heat in the right amount, and will also be sufficient for the hens to walk. There should be no more than 10-15 chickens inside. A larger number of laying hens is fraught with pecking and destruction of each other’s egg-laying eggs.

Laying hens hatch eggs

The chicken coop must be equipped with special shelves low from the floor. Wooden boxes and baskets filled with straw should be placed on them. In this way, nests are created.

You can also build special nests from plywood and boards, which are additionally equipped with a roof. In these nests, hatching is much safer and more convenient. This is a natural option on how to raise a chicken from an egg at home without an incubator.

The nests should be as comfortable as possible, but not too large. Because there will be a risk of eggs rolling out from under the chicken. The optimal size of the nest for hatching chicks is 35 x 55 cm.

It is better to place ladders near the shelves with nests so that the bird can easily climb to its future brood. The variety of nests and their location will create the opportunity for each hen to independently choose a place to hatch eggs.

It is important to keep the bird's house clean. Timely cleaning of the premises is not only a guarantee of the health of chickens and future chickens. This is also a factor influencing the microclimatic characteristics of the chicken coop - gas composition and air temperature, freshness of the room. Deviations from the norm can lead to the fact that chicks cannot be hatched from eggs.

Chicken coop microclimate: temperature, humidity and lighting

In order for a brood hen to hatch chicks in a chicken coop, an appropriate microclimate is necessary:

control of gas composition of air;
maintaining the correct temperature;
ensuring the required level of lighting;
stabilization of air humidity.

Regarding eggs, the matter is somewhat simpler than with an incubator. Since the egg without an incubator is constantly under the hen, there is no need to worry about whether it is maintained at the correct temperature and humidity. This is a natural way of incubation, and the chicken itself creates the necessary conditions for the eggs.

But a hen needs special conditions to effectively hatch an egg. An adult bird feels comfortable at an air temperature of 15 to 18 degrees.

This air temperature can be maintained in the autumn-winter period by artificial heating. For these purposes, it is better to choose chicken coops with a wooden floor, insulated with several layers of hay or straw.

You can also use infrared lamps. They can be turned on during the cold season, along with an infrared heater. This will allow you to hatch chickens without an incubator even in winter.

But it is important to ensure not only that the temperature does not drop relative to these indicators. An increase in air temperature can negatively affect the condition of chickens, and above 30 degrees can lead to the death of a chicken. In this case, air humidity should be from 60 to 70%.

It is necessary to use a gas analyzer to monitor the gas composition of the air in hens. The litter produces hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. These gases make the bird feel worse. They should be no more than 5 and 15 mg, respectively, per 1 m 3.

In order to ensure the required level of humidity and air composition, care should be taken to ventilate the room for the hens - install a ventilation pipe. But under no circumstances should drafts be allowed!

Natural lighting should be used to the maximum. The artificial one should not be dimmed - the brightness will irritate the hens, they can abandon their eggs, become aggressive, and destroy future offspring. You need to use incandescent lamps from 40 to 60 W in the calculation: 4 W x 1 m2 of floor. The nests can be curtained a little.

The process of hatching eggs: what to pay attention to?

To raise a chicken from an egg without an incubator, a brood hen is used. This can be considered a bird that:

clucks loudly;
stays in the nest for a long time.

Be sure to use fertilized eggs

If such signs are noticed, the chicken can be raised to eggs. The main condition is the use of fertilized eggs. If there was no rooster in the flock, then it will not be possible to hatch a chicken without an incubator.

11-21 eggs should be placed under the hen. If the chicken is larger in weight and size, then 21 is just right. For small breeds, 11-15 eggs are considered normal.

For the first couple of days, it will be difficult to tear the hen away from the nest. Even if she is pulled out of there by force, she will try by all means to return back. This indicates a high level of awakening of her natural instinct and readiness for the appearance of a brood.

But you still need to remove the chicken from the eggs. Otherwise, there is a risk of her death from severe exhaustion. The hen should eat normally, drink the required amount of liquid, and take a walk. But not for very long - about 15-20 minutes - to prevent the eggs from cooling. The main thing is not to scare her off with such actions.

Farmers who are interested in how to hatch chicks without the conditions of an incubator should know: under a brood hen, hatching begins on the 20th or 21st day of incubation. This process needs to be controlled. To prevent the chicken from leaving the remaining unhatched chicks, the earlier ones must be separated. When the hatching process is completed, the entire brood is united together.

Features of hatching chicks without an incubator

The hatching time of each chicken without an incubator is not the same: the chicks are born one after the other. Sometimes there are deviations in the hatching time of chicks. In the summer, the eggs under the hen may overheat, and the chicks hatch already on the 19th day. Sometimes this process can drag on for up to 22 days if the heating is insufficient. But in general, 21 days is the most optimal incubation period.

The chickens have hatched!

For anyone who wants to know how to hatch chickens at home without an incubator, it is important to consider: if there are unhatched eggs left under the hen, and 520 hours have already passed since she was planted, there is no need to wait any longer and you can eliminate unsuitable specimens.

The farmer should also remember that not all chicks have the ability to pick open the shell on their own and get out of it. If there are cracks and holes in the shell, and the chick still does not emerge, it would be optimal to help him do this manually. There should be no bleeding from the egg. If they occur, you need to stop.

After drying, the chicks that are born can be taken away from the hen until the hatching process of subsequent individuals is completed. In the house they need to be placed under an infrared lamp so that the air temperature is not lower than 30 degrees. You can also use a heating pad.

How to raise chicks at home without professional equipment and brood hens?

You can also raise a chicken from an egg without an incubator and brood hens at home by creating an imitation of an incubator. For this purpose you can use:

cardboard box (50 x 40 x 50 cm);
thermometer;
extension cord and light bulb;
sheet of glass (30 x 50 cm);
sheet of cardboard (30 x 50 cm);
a piece of soft cloth;
water tank (height - about 4 cm).

Imitation of an incubator from a cardboard box

Line the bottom of the box with a cloth, put water on one side, and place a thermometer on the other. In a sheet of cardboard, you need to cut a recess for the light bulb socket and insert it there, connect it to the network.

The box should be covered from top to half with a sheet of cardboard, and also with a sheet of glass on the other side. The air in the box should be heated to a temperature of 37 degrees.

After this, the marked eggs are placed in an “incubator” and turned over by the farmer three times a day. Hatching will occur in 20-21 days. Three days before this, the temperature in the box must be brought to 38 degrees.

Raising a chicken from an egg without an incubator is quite possible. At home, brood hens are used for this purpose. If under certain circumstances this is not possible, resourceful farmers get out of the situation by simulating an incubator. The result is achieved within the same time frame.

Breeding poultry is a complex job that necessarily involves the use of an incubator. This article will provide detailed instructions for raising chickens in an incubator at home. Follow it and you will always have a healthy litter of chickens.

How to hatch chickens in an incubator at home? This procedure must begin with the selection of eggs. The success of the entire business depends on the correct execution of this action. Material for incubation should be taken from a healthy chicken. She should not be sick or have hereditary diseases. Otherwise, you can expect the appearance of chicks with developmental anomalies.

The eggs themselves must meet the following criteria:

have no smell. The material that emits moldy, grape, putrefactive and other odors is rejected;
The egg must be fresh. The shelf life should not be more than a week. Storage should be carried out at a temperature not lower than +10…+12 °C. Do not store incubation material in the refrigerator;
the shape is oval and slightly tapered. A too elongated shape is considered a defect;
There should be no depressions, cracks, dents or growths on the surface of the shell. A couple of small spots of dried dirt are allowed. Chicken droppings are not removed from them. Contaminated eggs are not used;
the shell must be porous. It is forbidden to wash its surface or even wipe it with a damp cloth;
weight - about 50–60 g. Large eggs often contain two yolks, and small eggs will hatch into weak offspring.

To hatch healthy offspring, it is necessary to view the contents of selected eggs. To do this, they are examined with an ovoscope. During candling, the air chamber is examined along with the yolk. In normal eggs, the yolk is always located in the center with a slight deviation towards the blunt end. It should not be adjacent to the shell.

The blunt end usually contains an air chamber. Normally, its volume is approximately one teaspoon. With a small air chamber, no material is taken.

After collecting the eggs, raising the chickens in a home incubator involves preparing them. First, they are placed in a room for a couple of days where the air is heated to +23 °C. An incubator is also brought into the same room.

Before direct laying, the previously selected material should be sorted by size. Larger ones will take longer to hatch. For this reason, it is better to select material of approximately the same size. If this is not possible, then the insertion is carried out at different times: the larger ones are placed earlier, and then after 4 hours the medium testicles are placed in the device. After another 4 hours you can place the smallest ones. In this case, it is not worth your time to introduce it into a home incubator.

It should be noted that it is correct to place eggs in the device in a horizontal or vertical position. The type of position selected determines the turning procedure. When laying horizontally, the rotation is performed 180°. When vertical - 45°.

Under natural conditions, hens hatch their eggs in a horizontal position. But in many incubators only a vertical position is available. They should be placed in the tray itself with the blunt end up. The optimal time for this is between 16 and 22 hours. In this case, after exactly 22 days the withdrawal will be complete. However, when exactly the bookmark is performed, everyone decides for themselves. But it is better to do as the instructions prescribe. After all, this technology was developed by specialists.

How long does it take for chicks to hatch in an incubator? It all depends on the size of the eggs placed in the incubator, as well as the correctness of the incubation conditions established in it.

Therefore, how many days the chickens hatch in the incubator depends on the correctness of your actions. Typically, if everything was done correctly, this procedure will take 22 days. For other breeds of poultry, incubation can take a whole month.

Necessary conditions for incubation

To understand how to hatch chickens in a purchased incubator at home, you need to understand what conditions should be created inside the device. Breeding chickens in any incubator at home requires the following conditions:

correct temperature;
correct air humidity.

Hatching will be successful only if there is a certain humidity and temperature in the incubator. However, hatching conditions depend on how many eggs are already in the device. Hatching chickens has its own specific regime.

Duration and mode

How exactly to hatch chickens in an incubator is written in a special table. It clearly indicates what parameters of humidity and temperature should be in the device, and in what time period.

First 7 days

On the first day and until the end of the week, the temperature in the incubator should be +37.8 °C and the humidity should be 55%. The revolution is carried out 4 times a day.

Second week

During the second week, chickens need to be hatched at a humidity of 45% and a temperature of +37.8 °C. The revolution is performed 6 times a day.

From 15 to 18 days

For four days (from the 15th to the 18th), the chicks in the incubator should be hatched at the same temperature and humidity at 50%. The masonry is cooled twice a day. Coups are carried out as before. At the end of the third week, you can hear a squeak coming from the eggs.