Incubators for beginners

[British Red]

If you've ever thought about hatching your own chicken flock, you might enjoy our new YouTube series on incubators for beginners

We've partnered up with Brinsea (a UK firm renowned for making superb incubators) to make the subject of home incubation more accessible

This first episode is a simple overview of the key factors involved in incubating successfully, the necessary equipment & the types of incubators available

 

[Tengu]

Pardon my complete ignorance on birds;

Would it not be best for a beginner to use a hen?

 

[British Red]

Hi Tengu! We are great fans of using broody hens but there are issues. The first issue is that very few breeds of chickens actually do brood these days. Commercial breeds (both egg & broiler birds) have had the broody tendency bred out of them. Of the rest some brood intermittently (Legbars & Marans) but get bored and let the eggs get cold. There's a few traditional breeds (Orpingtons) that do brood reliably. However they tend to brood once, in the Spring, when they feel like it. Some notable strains (ours) will brood twice. So unless you have a mature Orpington (or Silky) and Spring is when you want chicks, an incubator is a much better bet.

 

[Kadushu]

When I was a small kid we had Sussex bantams and one year one of them hatched out some ducklings. The poor old mum got a bit flustered when all her children went paddling in a washing up bowl full of water! Anyway I'm curious about artificial incubation so this series will be good

 

[British Red]

When I was a small kid we had Sussex bantams and one year one of them hatched out some ducklings. The poor old mum got a bit flustered when all her children went paddling in a washing up bowl full of water! Anyway I'm curious about artificial incubation so this series will be good

That's so much fun! Our Orpingtons will hatch anything - I'm tempted to try geese!

 

[TeeDee]

@British Red

Can you explain the use of changing out fertilized eggs under a broody mother hen with China/Plastic eggs.

I remember we used to do it ( as a Child) but I can't remember exactly the reasoning why. I'm guessing its to keep the mum in a state of 'Broodiness'.

Maybe worth explaining .

 

[British Red]

@British Red

Can you explain the use of changing out fertilized eggs under a broody mother hen with China/Plastic eggs.

I remember we used to do it ( as a Child) but I can't remember exactly the reasoning why. I'm guessing its to keep the mum in a state of 'Broodiness'.

Maybe worth explaining .

We use "Pot Eggs" to get a broody to sit where we want her to hatch and to test that they are really broody prior to giving them fertilised eggs

You can see them in use here