Question 1

Do you provide an incubator?

Accepted Answer

Sorry, we do not provide incubators to borrow for the egg programs. You will need to source one. There are many incubators available online, used and new. We would recommend finding one with an automatic turner and a water reservoir.

Question 2

How do I hatch chicken eggs?

Accepted Answer

Each incubator will come with its own set of operating/set-up instructions. In general, you will want to look at your calendar and plan your hatch in advance. Chicken eggs take 21 days to hatch, and you'll need to be available to turn off or remove the turner on day 18.There are many different recommendations for humidity through hatching. We tend to keep the humidity around 55% during incubation and then bring it up to 70% for lockdown (days 18-21).Not all eggs are going to hatch at the same time, and a chick may take up to 48 hours. A chick will first "pip", which is when it first cracks the egg and creates a small hole. You may even see its beak poke through this hole. It will rest for a while (even 24+ hours), then start to "zip". This is when it will do a full 360 degree turn inside the egg, chipping its way around.Finally, the chick will kick the shell off. This is a BIG effort, and the chick will look very tired and wet. It will need time to rest in the warm, humid environment of the incubator. Don't open the incubator to take it out, as this will risk shrink wrapping the other chicks in their membrane. It is okay for a chick to be in the incubator while the other chicks are hatching. If no other eggs are pipped by the end of day 23 or early day 24, you can assume that they will not hatch. Remove all of your fluffed up chicks and get them into a brooder box with feed and water.Compost the unhatched eggs - do not leave them in the incubator, as they can explode, and it is VERY stinky.We do not recommend helping chicks hatch. If you need to remove some dried shell pieces from a chick, this needs to be done gently with warm water.

Question 3

How do I hatch duck eggs?

Accepted Answer

Each incubator will come with its own set of operating/set-up instructions. In general, you will want to look at your calendar and plan your hatch in advance. The breeds of ducks we have will take 27 days to hatch, and you'll need to be available to turn off or remove the turner on day 24.There are many different recommendations for humidity through hatching. We tend to keep the humidity around 55% during incubation and then bring it up to 70% for lockdown (days 24-27).Not all eggs are going to hatch at the same time, and a duckling may take up to 48 hours. A duckling will first "pip", which is when it first cracks the egg and creates a small hole. You may even see its beak poke through this hole. It will rest for a while (even 24+ hours), then start to "zip". This is when it will do a full 360 degree turn inside the egg, chipping its way around.Finally, the duckling will kick the shell off. This is a BIG effort, and the duckling will look very tired and wet. It will need time to rest in the warm, humid environment of the incubator. Don't open the incubator to take it out, as this will risk shrink wrapping the other ducklings in their membrane. It is okay for a duckling to be in the incubator while the other chicks are hatching. If no other eggs are pipped by the end of day 29 or early day 30, you can assume that they will not hatch. Remove all of your fluffed up ducklings and get them into a brooder box with feed and water.Compost the unhatched eggs - do not leave them in the incubator, as they can explode, and it is VERY stinky.We do not recommend helping duckling hatch. If you need to remove some dried shell pieces from a duckling, this needs to be done gently with warm water.

Question 4

How many eggs are included?

Accepted Answer

For chicks, 12 eggs are included. By default, we will include a mix of breeds. If you'd like a specific breed, please let us know.For ducklings, 4 eggs are included.Both programs come with starter feed, a bale of bedding, and return of any/all birds to the farm within the season.

Frequently asked questions

Do you provide an incubator?

How do I hatch chicken eggs?

How do I hatch duck eggs?

How many eggs are included?