Chicken Incubator Instructions

Incubators are designed maintain humidity, air flow and temperature around chicken eggs to create an ideal environment for brooding. The goal is to mimic what hens do in the chicken coop while reducing disease and chick death. Incubators come in many sizes to accommodate private and commercial needs. The basics of using an incubator are easy to master, but your attention to the details will determine how successful you are in hatching healthy chicks.

Things You'll Need

  • Incubator
  • Heat-resistant water dish
  • Thermometer
  • Humidity gauge
  • Fertile eggs
  • Egg crate
  • Calendar
  • Water
  • Ground corn
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Instructions

    • 1

      Obtain fertile eggs. You can do everything else correctly, but if the eggs are not fertile, the entire endeavor is moot. According to the University of Minnesota, store-bought eggs are not fertile, so plan to get fertile eggs from a local hatchery.

    • 2

      Place the eggs in the incubator within 10 days of being laid. Store the eggs large end up in cases until you are ready to incubate them, rotating the eggs every day to prevent the egg yolks from sticking to the insides of the shells. Keep them between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 3

      Place the incubator in a location where external temperatures will not affect the temperature within the incubator. Keep it away from windows and heaters.

    • 4

      Prepare the incubator 24 hours prior to placing eggs in it. Place a dish of warm water in the humidifier and turn the heat source on.

    • 5

      Position the internal thermometer so that it will be equal to or just above the height of egg tops. Periodically check the thermometer to confirm that the incubator's internal temperature remains between 99 and 102 degrees.

    • 6

      Place the eggs in the incubator on their sides. Maintain the humidity at 50 to 55 percent, and add water to the pan as necessary to maintain this humidity level. Maintain these conditions for 18 days, rotating the eggs three times a day.

    • 7

      Turn the eggs one last time on the evening of the 18th day. After this, do not open the incubator for any reason except to add water under the eggs.

    • 8

      Watch for the eggs to hatch, and when they have done so reduce the temperature to 95 degrees for the chicks. Keep them in the incubator for one to two days.

    • 9

      Sprinkle ground corn in the incubator for chicks to eat. Provide fresh water, ideally through an upside-down water release system for sanitary and safety reasons. Chicks may drown in a deep water trough or defecate in it.