Help on hatching eggs

[leggy]

I use to keep chickens and have decided to try and hatch some chicken eggs. I have an incubater so if i got the eggs can somone tell me how to turn the eggs by hand. Is it a half turn. do i mark the eggs with a soft pensil so it shows top and bottom. Also wot temps humidity do i need as im use to incubating at high humidity but dont chicken eggs need it dry. Also whot kind of care do thay need when thay hatch. Thanks Alison

[loopylucy]

i bought this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Chick-Bator-Mi...QQcmdZViewItem

i certainly wouldn't recommend it but i am trying it with two eggs i maked mine on both ends and just turn them 4-5 times a day. ideally it should be more i think but its very hard if your always out etc. good luck though i think temp ideally is between 98 - 102 (min and max) though it depends on the accuracy of the thermometer (100 would be best) but as i say mine is just to have a go, im a beginner perhaps someone who knows a bit more would be more helpful

[babybee]

Hi
This year we hatched lots of eggs at school including Japanese and Chinese quails, chickens and ducks.
We have an incubator that has a self turning plate at the bottom that automatically turns the eggs several times a day.
I don't know humidity levels in terms of % but if you keep the little water tray that is found inside the incubator topped up the eggs should be fine.

When hatched they need a light source for first weeks, a tank makes a good brooder at first but they quickly outgrow it and needs cleaning a few times a day but does keep in warmth. Make sure heat source is on one side so they can cool down if needed.
After a couple of weeks they can be put into a large indoor rabbit cage (the type with plastic bottom and wire bars) again with heat source.

Food= chick crumbs (readily available from farm shops) and from day 3 you can finely chop chick weed and give them.
Water= very shallow dishes are needed, with marbles in them. This is very important as chicks can drown in water dishes. They just fall asleep anywhere and if head is near water bowl with too much water in they can come to harm.

Good luck. It is interesting to see how quickly they grow and change. They do become very friendly.

[leggy]

Thanks . I have a hovebater but cant find enyone selling the self turn plats for it

[wildlifewarrior]

a hovebater it's self is perfectly fine for hatching them out with out the need for any costomizing. the hovebater is a chicken incubator anyway and the instructions that c9me with it such tell you how to use it for rearing eggs. i use one of these for lizard eggs but i no a few people that hacth there racing piegeons with these.