A Beginner's Guide to Hatching Chickens

A Beginners Guide to Hatching Chickens

      So, you want to hatch your own baby chickens. Congratulations! Whether you are doing it to increase your flock, to sell, or just to be able to say you've done it, I believe you will find it a rewarding experience.  It is not as simple as just putting the eggs in the incubator and letting them do their thing. Oh, no, there is so much more to the process than that. From the toils of incubator and egg selection, through the torment of waiting out the incubation period, to the celebration and sadness of hatch day, with this guide I hope to prepare you for what you will face your first time hatching eggs.

Little Giant Incubator

   First things first, incubator selection; these can be purchased at your local feed store, Tractor Supply, online, or you can build your own. I have a still air incubator(as pictured below), purchased from our local feed store. For about $20 more we decided to purchase an egg turner. You don't have to have one, you can turn the eggs twice daily, however, it is one of those things that is easily forgotten.  There are many different types of incubators on the market, still-air, all digital, desktop or cabinet. Do some research to decide which is best for you.

 

Little Giant Egg Turner

 

     READ the instruction booklet that came with your incubator. It not only tells you how to set it up, but gives valuable information to help you have a successful hatch. Now that you have your incubator, you need eggs to fill it. My egg turner will hold 41 chicken eggs, that's 3 and a half dozen eggs. So lets talk about a few ways to get hatching eggs.

 


 

Viable Egg, does have a light spot on lower right side

     You can save your own fresh eggs from your hens, you can buy hatching eggs from a hatchery or local farmers. Saving your own eggs is the most economical of the three, so we will start there. You can collect eggs for 10 days before putting them in the incubator, but don't just put every egg you collect aside for incubation. Small eggs produce small chickens, use medium and large eggs(better survival rate), candle your eggs when you collect, you want to make sure that the eggs are not porous. Porous eggs have a lower hatching rate than eggs that are easy to see through(see pictures to the right).

Porous Egg, see all those light spots

     Do not wash the eggs you are going to incubate, when the egg is laid it has a protective coating that protects it from bacteria. If they are very dirty, you can use a dry soft brush to knock off the dirt. Store your eggs away from heating and air vents and find a place that is cooler(around 50 to 60 degrees is best) and away from direct sunlight. You can use empty egg cartons to store your selected eggs pointed side down, but I recommend an egg flat that holds 2 and a half dozen. During my research, I learned that you store the eggs pointy side down because the air bubble at the larger end is what the chick survives on when fully formed before hatching.

     

Egg flat to collect hatching eggs

     During your 10 day collecting period place a piece of scrap lumber or any thing that provides a lift under one side and switch sides once per day. This helps to start the turning process and prepare the eggs for the turner, and according to research, it helps the inside from sticking to one side of the egg or the other. Using these guidelines, the very first batch of 42 hatching eggs I sold resulted in a 95% hatch and survival rate. He was so happy he continued to purchase throughout the spring and summer, every 21 days.

Using a book to give the eggs a lift

     Buying hatching eggs from a hatchery. I personally have not purchased from a hatchery, but they take care to select good quality eggs for hatching, I mean, they wouldn't still be in business if they didn't. They have full breed eggs, you know what you are going to get, but can be expensive. I would have no problems purchasing hatching eggs from a hatchery.

     Buying from a local farmer, this can be tricky. Small family farm many times will have barnyard mixes, not full breeds. I personally have several different breed of hens, and currently 4 roosters. Only one of my roosters are the same breed as any of my hens. For many people that is not a problem, but others only want to keep one breed. Whatever your preference you need to be prepared to ask the following questions to anyone you are considering purchasing hatching eggs from.

• How long have you had these eggs? Anything over 10 days, walk away.
• What breed of roosters do you have and how old are they? If roosters are under 10 months old, eggs may not be fertile.
• What is your process for selecting and storing your hatching eggs? Earlier I mentioned how I select my eggs, if they don't at least candle the eggs, you might want to rethink purchasing from that individual.
• Can I see your flock? Look to see that birds are healthy, being kept in clean condition with food and water available.  Most people love to show off their chickens, some may say no due to contamination risks, but allow you to look without going into an enclosed area. Anyone who says no without any reason given, walk away. Better safe than sorry.

     When you go to pick up eggs, examine eggs. Make sure they are pointy end down, they are a good size(no small eggs), take a good flashlight with you and candle a few before purchasing, if you feel uncomfortable with some of the eggs ask if they have any more you could trade out for the ones you don't like. Yes, this may offend some sellers, but more often than not, they will be fine with it. You may need to explain why you you don't like certain eggs(porous, too small are examples). Some people think every egg is a viable egg, this is not true.
      
     I set up the incubator at least 24 hours before putting in eggs, this is to get the temperature regulated and stable. The location of your incubator is very important, keep it away from heat and air vents, as well as sunlight, to help prevent temperature variations. I try to keep the temperature right about 100 to 100.5 degrees. After adding the turner and eggs, the temperature will most likely drop, but give it a few hours to regulate before adjusting it again. I make sure to check it everyday to maintain a regular temperature and the correct amount of water.

     Refer to your instructions for your incubator pertaining to humidity and air flow control. My incubator has 2 red plugs, I have to remove one when I put in the eggs, this is for fresh air to enter the incubator and excess heat and moisture to escape. Humidity is very important, too little and the chick will stick to the shell, too much and the chick will drown.

     Now that you have your eggs, they are in the incubator, and I think Tom Petty said it best "The waiting is the hardest part." Chicken eggs incubate for 21 days, three weeks, but good news, after about a week, you can candle a few or all of the eggs. You should see chicks forming, if not and it looks like there is nothing in the egg(like when you candle while selecting eggs to hatch) toss it out, it is not a viable egg. You can candle again at 2 weeks if you want, just try not to keep the lid off the incubator for very long at a time, you will lose heat. I recommend just candling a few eggs each time to limit heat loss. Other than checking the water level and temperature, leave it be, only open when you must and be as quick as possible.

     
     On day18 it's time to stop turning the eggs, remove them from the turner(if using) and place the eggs on the screen for the remaining 3 days, removing the second red plug as well(applies to still air incubator pictured above). Now would be a good time to get your box ready for the baby chicks. I use a Rubbermaid tub with straw or hay in the bottom.  I suggest using a closed type water container(I made one from a 20 ounce bottle and a chicken nipple, even day old chicks learned to use it quickly). We had a chick drown because of an open water container.

     Now is the time to purchase starter feed, they will be here soon. They have both medicated and non-medicated chick starter/grower. I always start my chicks on a medicated chick starter/grower as soon as they come out of the incubator, however, they can survive for 3 days from the nutrients they received from the egg, but must have water and a light for heat.

     Hatch day, honestly its more like days. You may have some eggs start pipping on day 20, some may not hatch till day 24. Some may take a few hours to hatch and others a day. You may find yourself cheering on the little ones as they struggle to free themselves from their calcified prison. Somewhere along the line you will get the urge to help one that seems to be struggling. Keep in mind that they know what they are doing. If a chick is not strong enough to get out of the shell on its own, chances are it will not survive, even if you help it. Experience has taught me that there is a reason the chicks can't hatch, when helped the chicks have had a bad knee, a deformed foot, or even their insides out. There are people out there that talk about putting the knee back in place, or splinting the foot, if you choose to do this there are plenty of videos online to aid you. The sad truth is, not all that pip will hatch and not all that hatch will survive.

     Leave chicks in incubator until dry and fluffy before moving them to a box or tub with food, water, and a light for heat. Chicks make a mess. They will spill food, water, and poop everywhere. You will need to add new bedding when soiled, and keep in mind, if kept in the house, it will take at least 3 or 4 days to get accustomed to the constant chirping all night long. Also, keep away from all inside pets.

     Now is time to celebrate and enjoy the cute little chickens you have hatched, how sweet they look all huddled up in the corner, some on top of others, or how they flutter around, or how soft and cuddly they are. We keep them in the house for about 2 weeks when most of their feathers have come in, then they go out to the brooding coop(and not a moment too soon).

Set up for chicks, before closed fluid dispenser

     

     I hope this guide has been both informative and a little entertaining. I hope that you feel you have more answers than questions and are more prepared for what to expect during your first hatch. It is an amazing experience to watch a chick hatch, and watch them grow. Now, you get to wait again, and this time it is a much longer wait... Between 5 and 6 months old you should get your first eggs. Best of luck to you, I hope you find hatching eggs as rewarding and enjoyable as I do.

As always, have a great day.

Tonia

How to start a small farm: 5 Simple Steps to Farming!

  So, you have decided to start a small farm, but not sure where to start. Here are 5 simple steps to get you started.  Along with a little rambling.

      Mr. J. (My Mr.) and I have been raising chickens since August of 2012. We made the decision after Mr. J.'s parents moved here from South Arkansas. One of the first things they did was to build a chicken coop and enclosure. After a time they started giving us fresh eggs, and us still buying store bought, there was a major difference. So we started thinking, eggs were getting more and more expensive, and we could raise a breed that was duel purpose and have meat as well. Maybe we should take a closer look into this idea. This leads me into:

 Step 1: Making a Plan and Setting Goals

     Planning out your small farm is a very important step, and fun too. Here you get to dream, explore new avenues, choose what your overall goal is and how to get there. Yes, you can dream, but also be prepared to be realistic, you may decide after 6 months that farming is not for you. You don't want to spend lots of money and change your mind later. Write it down. Draw it out. Make it a goal. 

   As an example, our farm goals our to raise a garden, chickens, rabbits, goats, hogs, ducks, and maybe one day a milk cow. We also plan on having a small orchard for fruit and berries for jelly, canning, and dehydrating (we also make our own wine). Our overall goal is to produce most of our own meat, milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, can our own veggies, make our own jelly, etc. Be able to sustain ourselves, pay our own way, know the skills of years past, not depend on the newest product on the market. I love learning new skills, include in your list making any new skills you will need to learn, and skills you want to learn.

   As a side note, I am one of those "LIST" makers, so I have already made notes in 3 or 4 different notebooks. I recommend that you get yourself a notebook just for the farm. Include expenses, dates and ideas. Maybe even write your goals on the first page. 

Hard-Knock Homesteading: Our back yard with heavy rains

     Remember to draw out your homestead (even if you are not good at it), include your home, garden, driveway, where your animals will be housed, water source, even your compost pile. Its nice to see it on paper, visualize it. Not sure what skills you are going to need? Or how big of a flock you are going to want in the future? Don't worry, step 2 will help you figure out the answers. 

     Also, placement is a major issue to consider when planning your homestead. Our back yard floods with heavy rains, see picture to the left. Knowing your land is crucial, we can't put animals in our back yard, and our chicken coop is up off the ground in case of really bad flooding. Spend lots of time outside while planning, keep a notebook if you like, it can help you determine where the best place to place your garden, fruit trees, animals, ect. 

  

 

Step 2:  Research   

     We knew we wanted to start with chickens, I did lots of research on raising chickens, chicken illnesses, cost of feed, different breeds, and types of coops. We did a lot of walking around the yard deciding on where to place our coop and enclosure. We took into consideration that we live close to the road and have neighbors close by. We live on a 5 acre plot, all but about an acre is wooded, so we knew that we were going to have to do some land clearing over time. There will also be fence building, animal housing, but I don't want to forget other parts of the farm during this time. Research other parts of your farm as well, for instance, the sooner you put in your fruit trees and berry bushes in the ground, the sooner you can reap the benefits. Be sure to get trees that thrive in your zone. 

     I could go on and on with long detailed information and stories, but I think I am just going to give you a list of several topics to research and give you an idea of what you need to know. 

• Animals desired and the breeds that do well in your area.
• Amount of space inside and outside each animal needs.
• Housing designs and fencing types.
• Best feeds(locally), equipment needed (feeders, watering containers, supplements)
• Cost of building materials for housing and fencing. Call your local hardware store.
• Common illnesses of your chosen animal and treatments.
• How to butcher and process for meat (one of those new skills to add to the list)
• Fruit trees and bushes for your area

Step 3: Saving

     Yes, this is Step 3, however I hope if you are able you have already started putting money back or collecting scrap lumber and materials for your farm. Saving money is not easy when you live on a tight budget anyway, I decided that in order decrease our spending I would start making laundry detergent, dishwasher powder and natural cleaners. I enjoyed doing this, at that time I was a stay at home mom, volunteering at preschool, president of the parent committee, and coaching my daughter's pee wee cheer leading squad.  A little extra work for a large saving sounded good to me. Then I moved onto making cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup (so much better than the canned products on the market). Knowing that I am saving money to improve our future, made me start to think about all the frozen prepared foods we were buying, all for convenience. So that was the next area of savings we tackled. 

     Here are a few other ways that you can go about saving some money on a tight budget.

• Put $5-$10-$20 back every week
• Save all your change
• Save all your $1.00 or $5.00 bills
• Watch for free material online or in newspapers
• Have a yard sale (clear out the clutter)
• Barter your services to family, friends and neighbors   

      Do everything you can to save as much money as you can, you will need it. 

  

Step 4: Finally, Action - Let's Build 

      It's about time, I know that is what you are thinking. When you have saved and sketched out your design, chosen your location, and gathered your tools, materials, and either your own handy man skills (or that of a close family member or good friends) its time to get started.

Hard-Knock Homesteading: Mr. J. working on our coop

     It took us about a month of weekend and working after work to build our coop and enclosure. We chose a 4'X8'X8' as our coop size, we spent around $500 on materials, we used some leftover roll roofing we had from another project, along with 2 windows Mr. J.'s parents gave us, we also used some leftover exterior paint. We also built our coop on skids in case we ever needed to relocate it. We wanted to make sure th

ere were enough nesting boxes to grow our flock later on, so we made 8 that can be accessed from outside the enclosure for ease of gathering eggs.

Hard-Knock Homesteading

Hard-Knock Homesteading: Nesting boxes

     We decided to build our coop behind our garage (out of site from the road), and use the back and east side of the garage as an existing wall for our enclosure, less money on fencing. Speaking of fencing, we used 1" chicken wire 6 feet tall and metal posts. There are challenges in every place you live, in Arkansas we have ROCKS, lots of rocks. Sometimes you just have to move your post one way or the other, and use the trees when you can. But on a positive side, those rocks came in handy to hold the chicken wire down around trees and rocky areas where we couldn't bury it. *NOTE: It's a good idea to bury the wire to keep digging predators from getting in the enclosure.* With some leftover lumber we built the frame for the gate, the gate, and buried a 4X4 under the gate (again for predators) to finish out our build. Now we just need to get some feed and find some chickens.

Hard-Knock Homesteading: Finished Coop

Hard-Knock Homesteading: Painted

Hard-Knock Homesteading: Chicken Door

     Lessons from our build, as time passed we decided even when we had 40 chickens we did not need 8 nesting boxes, so we closed off 4 of them. We also learned that we could have built a shorter coop, a 4'X4'X8' instead. If you put in windows, take out the screen and put wire up on the inside. We also decided that our next coop will have an expanded metal floor for easy cleaning.

Hard-Knock Homesteading: gate

      Step 5: Start Small

Hard-Knock Homesteading: First Rooster

    We started out with 7 chickens, 1 rooster (Rhode Island Red, about 4 years old) given to us by a guy Mr. J. worked with. Mr. J.'s parents gave us our main flock, 1 Rhode Island Red Rooster about 6 months old, 1 Rhode Island Red hen about a year old, 1 Buff Orpington about 2 years with (2) 3 month old chicks she hatched, both Black Australorp, and 1 Welsummer hen about 6 months old. It took about 2 weeks before we got our first egg, due to the transition to our farm. For about the first 2 or 3 weeks we kept the chickens in the enclosure till they got use to the coop being home. We also kept a light on at night to help the birds find the coop. Then we started letting them out in the yard for an hour or two a day to free range.

        I have a few tips for your first 6 months of raising chickens and a few lessons we learned along the way.  

• Wait 6 months before getting anymore chickens.
• Watch your chickens, they can be quite humorous, but watch what they eat, how full their crop is regularly, who is on the top of the pecking order, watching them will help you identify when there is something wrong.
• Slowly increase the amount of free ranging as they get use to the area, and you are present for security of predators (neighborhood dogs, hawks, raccoons) until you feel they are safe on their own.
• When you have 2 roosters and they begin to fight, its time to make a choice, get more hens or put one in the freezer. 
• When butchering, soak bird in salt water in the refrigerator for a few days before freezing.
• If it is an older bird, split the bird up and mix half of it with a younger bird and slow cook it for 8 hours. Older birds are tougher and have a much stronger flavor.
• If you start getting dirty eggs, clean out your coop.
• Make some 5 gallon bucket watering containers. I'll write a post on that later.
• If you decide you like the raising chickens, look into designs for a brooding coop/chicken sick bay. 

      Now, after you have six months under your belt, still saving, you can start the process again and add to your farm, fence in your garden, build a space for a different animal. 

      So, there you have 5 Simple Steps to starting a farm. I will do a more detailed post on some of the topics mentioned here at a later date. Please check back and follow my blog.

    Do you have any questions or ideas you would like to know about? I will be happy to share any information I might have. Just leave me a comment. Also feel free to share my posts on Facebook and Pinterest. 

   As always Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Tonia 

COMMING SOON

Chickens scratching around on newly cleared land

Hello World,

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will soon be starting my first blog...Hard-Knock Homesteading.... I am very excited about this blog, I have wanted to blog for several years now, but the time has never been right, until now( or so I think, lol).

You can expect to read on Hard-Knock Homesteading about our journey into becoming more self sustaining on our land, our goals for our small farm, our farm animals and their care, gardening, canning, jelly and wine making, bartering for goods and services, land clearing, equipment repair, engineered tools and more. I hope you will find me informative and educational, as well as entertaining.

Table built for our garden by Mr. J.

I hope that you will follow me on our journey of all the challenges and the rewards, some sound advice, lessons learned, and maybe even a few "Don't Do This" moments. Please feel free to pin and share my blog.

Thank you for taking time to read and have a great day!


Tonia