Hatching chicks is one of the most rewarding things a person can do. Bringing life into the world from a seemingly lifeless shell. In 21 days, sweet chirps and fuzzy balls pecking at feed is the most delightful experience. All you need are eggs and incubators and you can make something wonderful happen.

Incubator

If you’re looking for incubators, you have a lot to choose from with plenty of bells and whistles. If you don’t plan to use yours much, I would recommend looking for the basic, which works just as well as the ones that are bold and beautiful. I started with a simple foam incubator that had a knob to control the heat. It worked great. There’s plenty of options on the internet. Try looking for incubator reviews to get a feel for what you think would work for you.

Temperature and Humidity

The temperature when incubating should remain between 99.5 to 100-degree Fahrenheit and depending on your incubator the humidity needs to remain between 40% to 55% until day 18. I find that Thermometer Hygrometer work best for measuring the temperature and humidity. Thermometer Hygrometer combination can usually be found at a low price.

I find that having an egg turner included with the incubator takes all the worry out and adds more fun. If you don’t have an egg turner the eggs will need to be turned until day 18 at least 3 times a day, more is better. The way to keep up with which side to turn is by marking each side of the egg with a nontoxic marker X on one side and 0 on the other. When you turn it write down the time and which side the eggs were last turned.