@Summerhat-n-Chicks Have you ever incubated eggs before?? Can be a trial & error experience as the heat/humidity has to be precise during certain days of incubation period. I have done this in years past with great success rate but only after several failed attempts. If you decided to purchase an incubator try to find one with a fan, egg turner, thermometer AND HYGROMETER (Humidity levels). They will probably be a bit expensive. I have 2 incubators with the fan/auto egg turner. It had a thermometer but it was NOT accurate. I went to LOWES & bought a thermometer/hygrometer in the lawn/garden section which solved my problems keeping temp/humidity at correct levels. If you don’t get one with auto egg turner you will have to do this manually at least twice a day and that is a PAIN (if you have a very busy homestead schedule). I also use the DRY HATCH method to incubate. Here are two links explaining why it works. Also including a couple of pic’s of some of my chicks hatching with the thermometer/hygrometer showing temp/humidity then a pic of what was hatched with the incubator. I have a habit of taking pic’s of my projects for future reference or to share with others.
I’m also looking into DIY incubators. Those I’ve found so far use the sun and clay pots outside. Won’t work here where I live with our excessive humidity. Looking into other idea’s of building one but as long as we have power and I have gas & solar generators I may try using the incubators I have with the solar generator to see how much power they use & if my system would handle it thru the entire process (21 days). Will use my Kilometer to check kw usage when running then do the math to see if when fully charged would it last. I have solar panels but didn’t want to hook those up & keep them in a safe place in case we have an EMP (either solar CME or man made) or nuke…if you know what I mean. Let me know what you find out and I will be researching further for something to use with no power and how to control heat/humidity with no power. LOTS to consider and look at especially where you live. Cooler temps as you have to keep temp consistent at 98(F) night & day & humidity around 55% (+/-) the 1st 18 days the higher the last 3 days in lockdown *when you do not open the incubator.
I know our ancestors had to have a way they did it and I will continue searching for the OLD WAYS.
I have heard from many friends to get some “bantam hens” as they are ALWAYS broody and will sit on chicken eggs to hatch them out. Got to do a bit more research on that as well as a breed of chicken/hen that will be broody. I may put my broody hen on LOCKDOWN in a special coop of her own and feed/water her in her own coop that would be protected from all vermin (including snakes that are bad here, even now). Just rat snakes but they still devour eggs.
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