Incubation, Care, and other Useful Information

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Total Incubation Period: 21 days

• Days 1-18:
  • Temperature: 99.5-100 degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 40-50%
  • Eggs should be turned an odd number of times per day.
• Days 19-21 (Lockdown):
• Place eggs into a designated hatcher, whether it's within your incubator or in a separate unit. At this point you will no longer need to turn the eggs.
  • Temperature: 98.5-99.5 degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 55-60%
  • **Do NOT open the incubator during this time to avoid shrink wrapping chicks.

Total Incubation Period: 17-18 days

• Days 1-14:
  • Temperature: 99.5-100 degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 40-50%
  • Eggs should be turned an odd number of times each day during incubation.
• Days 15-17 (Lockdown):
• Place eggs into a designated hatcher, whether it's within your incubator or in a separate unit. At this point you will no longer need to turn the eggs.
• Temperature: 99.5 - 100. degrees F (Forced Air)
• Humidity: 50-60%
• **Do NOT open the incubator during this time to avoid shrink wrapping chicks.
• It's best to begin placing chicks into the brooder 24-48 hours after hatching, or once they appear fluffed up. 

Total Incubation Period: 23-24 days

• Days 1-20:
  • Temperature: 99.5-100 degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 40-50%
  • Eggs should be turned an odd number of times each day during incubation.
• Days 21-23 (Lockdown):
• Place eggs into a designated hatcher, whether it's within your incubator or in a separate unit. At this point you will no longer need to turn the eggs.
  • Temperature: 98.5 - 99.5. degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 50-60%
• **Do NOT open the incubator during this time to avoid shrink wrapping chicks.
• It's best to begin placing chicks into the brooder 24-48 hours after hatching, or once they appear dry. 

Total Incubation Period: 21-24 days

• Days 1-18:
  • Temperature: 100 degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 40-45%
• Eggs should be turned an odd number of times each day during incubation.
• Days 19-24 (Lockdown):
• Place eggs into a designated hatcher, whether it's within your incubator or in a separate unit. At this point you will no longer need to turn the eggs.
  • Temperature: 98.5-99.5 degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 50%
• **Do NOT open the incubator during this time to avoid shrink wrapping chicks.
• It's best to begin placing chicks into the brooder 24-48 hours after hatching, or once they appear fluffed up. 

Total Incubation Period: 21-23 days

• Days 1-18:
  • Temperature: 100 degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 40-45%
• Eggs should be turned an odd number of times each day during incubation.
• Days 19-23 (Lockdown):
• Place eggs into a designated hatcher, whether it's within your incubator or in a separate unit. At this point you will no longer need to turn the eggs.
  • Temperature: 99.5 - 100. degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 50-60%
• **Do NOT open the incubator during this time to avoid shrink wrapping chicks.
• It's best to begin placing chicks into the brooder 24-48 hours after hatching, or once they appear fluffed up. 

Total Incubation Period: 28 days

• Days 1-25:
  • Temperature: 100 degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 45-50%
• Eggs should be turned an odd number of times each day during incubation.
• Days 15-17 (Lockdown):
• Place eggs into a designated hatcher, whether it's within your incubator or in a separate unit. At this point you will no longer need to turn the eggs.
  • Temperature: 99.5 degrees F (Forced Air)
  • Humidity: 55-60%
• **Do NOT open the incubator during this time to avoid shrink wrapping chicks.
• It's best to begin placing chicks into the brooder 24-48 hours after hatching, or once they appear fluffed up. 

Chicks require a higher percentage of protein during the first few weeks of life to promote healthy growth and feather development. We recommend an chick starter with 20% or more protein. We also recommend supplementing chick sized grit to aid in digestion and to prevent crop impaction. We use a 22% unmedicated chick starter.

Medicated feed options may be convenient or necessary for some flocks. I will include a section about coccidiosis, prevention, and treatment, further down.

At this age, chicks can be switched to a grower ration. Typically it is the same as the chick starter, just with a lower level of protein. 

Some feed stores don't always offer a grower feed or it may be more difficult to find. In that instance, you can continue to feed chick starter until around 16 weeks or so.

At this stage of development, pullets are preparing to lay. Most breeds  begin to lay around the 6 month mark, but this estimate may vary  depending on the breed, number of daylight hours, stress, and nutrition.

Most layer rations have a lower protein content and an increased  calcium content. This option is convenient for many. We choose to feed a 19% grower ration and supplement oyster shell on the side for calcium intake. Not only does this give all of our birds a little more protein, it also prevents our cockerels  from ingesting more calcium  than they need.