Raising chickens can be a rewarding experience, whether as a commercial venture or a hobby, and it doesn’t require much equipment. Chickens are relatively easy to care for and can even make engaging pets. However, there are several factors to consider before embarking on this venture.
Why Raise Chickens?
There are many benefits to raising chickens, including a regular supply of fresh eggs, a source of protein-rich meat, and natural pest control for gardens. Additionally, chickens can provide companionship and teach children about responsibility and where their food comes from.
How to Select Hatching Eggs
The first step in hatching eggs is selecting the right ones. To ensure success, cracked or damaged eggs should be discarded. Candling distinguishes viable eggs from non-viable ones:
- Use a small lamp with a 60-watt flood-light bulb installed.
- Cut a 2-inch hole into a thick piece of cardboard for the egg to sit on.
- Hold the cardboard over the light and place the egg on the hole.
- Look for a bacteria ring, a porous or cracked shell, or a growing chick with visible blood vessels.
Egg Care and Storage
If eggs need to be stored before they go into the incubator, they must be kept below room temperature. Fresh eggs up to five days old can remain at temperatures in the low-60 °F range. If the eggs must wait longer than five days, refrigerate them in a carton tipped 45 ° to improve hatchability. Eggs can stay refrigerated for up to two weeks.
How to Build an Inexpensive Incubator
An incubator keeps heat and humidity constant throughout the hatching period. You can build one by following these steps:
- Cut a 4 × 6-inch hole in the side of a 10-gallon foam cooler.
- Glue the glass from a 5 × 7-inch picture frame inside the cooler as a viewing window.
- Cover the bottom with a 1-inch layer of aquarium gravel or sand and add 2 Tbsp of water.
- Place a thermometer, a 15-watt bulb, and a hygrometer inside.
- Regulate temperature and humidity for three days before placing the eggs inside.
Incubating Conditions
The three most important factors for success—beyond fertile eggs—are turning, temperature, and humidity:
- Mark one side of each egg with an “X” to track turning.
- Turn eggs three times a day and stop turning three days before hatch.
- Maintain 99–100 °F; monitor with a reliable thermometer.
- Keep relative humidity at 55–60 % during most of incubation, increasing slightly during the final three days.
Sanitation
Sanitation is critical for anything in contact with hatching eggs. Wash hands thoroughly before handling eggs or equipment. Clean and disinfect incubators with a diluted bleach solution:
- Mix ¼ cup household bleach with 1 gallon of water.
- Wash the inside of the incubator, lid, and any tools.
- Allow all components to dry in direct sunlight.
Troubleshooting Failures
Even with careful attention, not every egg will hatch. Common issues include:
- Improper candling—remove non-viable eggs early.
- Incorrect humidity—too low or high can cause embryo loss; use a hygrometer.
- Inadequate turning—eggs not turned regularly can yield deformed chicks.
- Shipping damage—candle shipped eggs to check for disrupted air sacs.
Additional Resources
- How to Incubate Chicken Eggs: The Complete Guide
- Chick Candling Pictures
- The Poultry Site: Egg Candling and Breakout Analysis
- 21-Day Guide to Hatching Eggs
- Murray McMurray Hatchery: Hatching Eggs
- Mississippi State University: Sanitation of Hatching Eggs
- Humidity and Incubation: Warming Bird Eggs
- MSU: Construction of a Still-Air Incubator
- Mother Earth News: Build Your Own Incubator
Conclusion
With the right care and attention, hatching eggs can be a satisfying endeavor. Follow these guidelines for selecting, storing, and incubating eggs, maintain proper sanitation, and troubleshoot as needed. With patience and perseverance, you’ll soon be raising your own flock of healthy, productive chickens.
Equipment Financing Relevance
Commercial poultry producers rely on precision tools such as forced-air incubators, automatic egg turners, and climate-controlled brooders to safeguard hatch rates and flock health. Unlike DIY coolers, commercial-grade systems deliver minute control over temperature, airflow, and humidity across thousands of eggs—a level of consistency that directly drives profitability.
Outfitting a hatchery can involve capital outlays ranging from $5,000 for stainless-steel hatch cabinets to $25,000+ for integrated chick-handling conveyors or feed-mixing mills. Structured equipment financing allows producers to align those costs with the productive life of each asset, preserving cash for feed, vaccines, and labor while locking in predictable fixed rates.
Payment schedules can match seasonal cash-flow cycles, and the equipment itself typically serves as collateral, making approvals straightforward and fast. Operators upgrading existing poultry houses can also bundle multiple assets—brooders, generators, egg-washing stations—into a single note that’s easy to manage.
Investing in modern hatchery technology today translates to healthier chicks, lower mortality, and faster time-to-market tomorrow. Explore terms tailored to poultry growers through our dedicated agricultural equipment program and keep your hatchery moving forward without stressing your balance sheet.
