Hatching chickens is an easy process if you have the right equipment.

You will need:

Incubator -

Our incubator is set to a constant 38 degrees C it has a water tank below to create humidity. ( If the humidity is right chicks may hatch early)

It takes the eggs 19-22 days to hatch.

Brood Box-

This is a box with a heat lamp, food and water. 

The brood box must maintain a heat of  30- 33 degrees C.

You need to make sure the chicks can not drown in there water bowl. We use gravel in the bottom of our water dishes to keep them safe. 

What to feed baby chickens

Chick starter mix                  Lettuce                              Watermelon

Meal worms                          Apple                                 Banana

Boiled egg mash                  Parsley                               Grass

Tomatoes                             Worms                                Crickets

Your chicks will need to be in the brood for 6-8 weeks after hatching. In this time their fluff will develop into feathers. Once their feather are developed they will be ready for your chicken coop.

*Take care introducing new chickens to your pen as hens can have a ruthless pecking order. One way of trying to reduce the impact on your new arrivals is to introduce them at dusk when all the chickens are going to bed. 

Where to buy eggs

We post our fertile eggs eggspress post .We only supply fresh fertile eggs and they have proven high fertility rates. 

Eggs must be stored pointy end down for 24 hours after postage before incubation.

Hints-

Fertile chicken eggs can be kept for 24 days before incubating. It helps if you collect your eggs prior to incubating so all the eggs hatch at the same time. 

Date your eggs

Listen to your eggs - If you hold the eggs to your ear a few days before they are due to hatch you may hear chirping or pecking. 

We hold a torch to the eggs to light up the eggs and look for blood vessels supplying the chicken baby. 

Hatching chickens is a great learning experience for kids. The perfect time to obtain your eggs is about 15-18 days before school holidays. This way the kids will be home to watch all the excitement of the babies hatching.

Naming your chicks-

Here are some names for your flock.

Pompom                                    Princess layer                               Pepper

Wasabi                                       Emu                                              Pearl

Dora the eggsplora                    Zazu                                              Cluck norris

Yoko Ono                                   Coco                                             Dumpling.

I love letting the kids choose they have every chicken named. 

If you live in the Agnes Water area we are able to provide rent incubators and brood boxes.

Incubator $15 per month 

Brood box required for 6 weeks at $7 per week.

These can be used for other birds, turkey, guinea foul, ducks, quails and more.