Hey yall, have a quick question. My hens wont sit on their eggs so I was wondering if I could take the eggs and hatch them myself. My kids said that you could use a heating pad and light! I was wondering if this could be done. I thought it would make for some goods school days. lol. Oh yeah I do have a rooster so I know they are fertilized. Thanks for any of your help. Sarah in NC

-- Sarah from NC (Caswell995@cs.com), February 28, 2001

Answers

I wouldn't think so. I bought an incubator last year and have had very little success with that. You have to keep the temperature and the humidity just right. I found it to be somewhat tricky. Wouldn't think you could regulate it well enough with a heating pad and light. What breed of hens do you have? Some breeds are more likely to sit than others. But I've never figured a way to persuade one to do it. One day when spring is in the air, they just decide on their own. And some will, some won't, even with the right breeds. mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), February 28, 2001.

In the book by Carla Emery, Country Living Encyclopedia, I think, she describes step by step how to make your own incubator out of a styrofoam cooler, a thermometer, glass cover, etc. When I get home later tonight I will type in the instructions and get them to you if you can't find them on line. I'm going to try it with duck eggs, just for laughs. Keep the eggs cool, not overly warm or freezing until you plan to incubate them. You will have to turn the eggs at least twice daily, etc. Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), February 28, 2001.

I know of a teenager who used a 5 gallon bucket and light bulb as an incubator. For the most part - it worked. I'd suggest you get your book out and read up on the temps you HAVE to have. Like- while I'm waiting to gather enough eggs to incubate - what temp do I keep the eggs? (or should I say, no colder than) also you'll need a thermometer to keep an exact reading on the eggs at all times- they can't get below a certain temp and as the chicks grow, they create their own heat, so the temp will vary at that time and will have to be adjusted. I don't know if you can keep a heating pad at a correct temp- don't know if I would try that idea. Try a dozen eggs and see if it works. I would suggest flipping them a couple times a day though.

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), February 28, 2001.

see my response about a page up from here - $25 incubator.

-- David C (fleece@eritter.net), March 01, 2001.

Try this address: www.cyberorganics.com/people/feathersite/Poultry/BRKIncubation.html

It gives directions for a wide variety of homemade incubators. And if you can find a $25 incubator, more power to you. The cheapest I've seen is around $60 for a styrofoam one, which mice absolutely to eat and ruin.

-- (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), March 02, 2001.

I have some hens that are good layers, but won't set. I have a couple of game hens that are great moms, but not great layers. When the game hens set, I put eggs from the others under them so I get the chicks I want.

I had one little banty hen that was broody all the time. She once hatched 10 chicks in December. I didn't even know she had a nest until she brought the chicks down from the top of hay stored in the barn.

I also had a duck that hatched 4 guineas, 3 ducklings and 1 chick. I took all but the ducklings away from her. I was afraid she would try to teach them to swim!

-- Mona in OK (jascamp@ipa.net), March 02, 2001.

There is a huge amount of info. on the web on hatching eggs. Do a search for hatching eggs, incubators etc. I found several university sites that had pages of informantion, pics etc on day by day developement, proper humidity, and temperature. I bought one of the styrofoam window incubators last June and my first try I hatched out 33 of 42 eggs. I paid about 75. for the incubator and auto egg turner. I would suggest getting a digital thermometer so you can keep close tabs on the temp. I found several plans for building a incubator after I bought mine. Very easy with a light bulb and a few hand tools. I did have some problems hatching out my duck eggs, so I'm not sure what the problem was there. Out of 20 eggs only 6 hatched. It might have been the humidity. Here are 2 great links to everything you need to know about hatching eggs.

http://msstate.edu/dept/poultry/exthatch.htm http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/poultry/g08353.htm

I hope these still work. I printed them out last summer. I have a couple pics of my daughters with the incubator on my homestead album on Zing. Have fun. http://www.zing.com/album/pictures.html?id=4293703179&show_all=1&start =1

-- Kent in WA (kent@premier1.net), March 03, 2001.

Without the proper temperature, humidity and turning of the eggs, you won't be very successful. Sorry!

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), March 03, 2001.

My pair of chickens were recently eaten by a mystery predetor, but i was able to save one egg from them. At this moment i have it wrapped in a thin towel which is sitting on a heating pad which is sort of draped around the sides of the towel as well as under it. After two weeks i can still see the unhatched chick living and growing in the egg -- I hold a flashlight behind the egg periodically to illuminate the inside.

-- bob davis (lostdogbob@yahoo.com), April 12, 2001.

put the eggs under a heat lamp

-- jj (ttt@hotmail.com), January 17, 2002.

sarah i think you should try it and expierament on them

-- amber marie s (starfire13@fiberia.com), January 25, 2002.

Hey I read online that you could put a hen in a box with her eggs on shavings you make a sort of nest for her you giver her food and water once a day but I am trying it and have giving it to her when I am out there. you can put the box in the Garage ( you put the lid on the box so of course make sure to put air holes in it) I put something on top on the box incase she trys to get out of it . The Hen that I am trying to do this with likes to sit on eggs so I haven't tried it with any other yet. Also I plan to let her walk around Before the 21 says are up just to let her walk a bit but of course not for to long so the eggs don't get cold . well thats it I hope that this is helpful to you . Corrie Smith of Cave Creek AZ

-- Corrie Smith (corriander@earthlink.net), January 29, 2002.

fuck off

-- lionel lee (sword_seven@hotmail.com), March 22, 2002.

Several years ago I hatched some chicken eggs under a heating pad. I placed a towell in a box. Put the eggs in then placed a light weight towell on top. Then layed the heating pad on top. Turned yhe eggs every day. In 21 days I had 18 baby chicks out of 24 eggs.

-- Marie Beck (mebeck@atlantic.net), April 08, 2002.