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I HAVE BEEN HATCHING EGGS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW AND HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS THAT I HAVE LEARNED. YOU CAN BUY EGGS AND HAVE THEM MAILED TO YOU AND DEPENDING ON SHIPPING AND HANDLING AT THE POST OFFICE AND FERTILITY YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD HATCH RATE. AFTER YOU RECIEVE THE EGGS IN THE MAIL LET THE EGGS REST 8 TO 24 HOURS BEFORE PUTTING THEM IN THE INCUBATOR. THE EGGS SHOULD BE POINTED SMALL END DOWN ALSO. YOU SHOULD RUN YOUR INCUBATOR FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS AND MAKE SURE THAT IT HOLDS THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE BEFORE PUTTING THE EGGS INTO HATCH. MOISTURE IS ALSO NECESSARY TO KEEP THE BIRD FROM STICKING TO THE INSIDE OF THE EGG SHELL. I CHECK THE WATER EVERYDAY AND ALSO I USE A SPRAY BOTTLE AND LIGHTLY MIST MY EGGS ESPECIALLY THE DUCK EGGS WITH WARM WATER EVERYDAY. WHICH IS WHAT THE MOTHER DUCK DOES WHEN SHE IS SETTING ON THE EGGS. I HAVE USED A AUTOMATIC TURNER AND TURNED THEM BY HAND AND BOTH WORK OK AS LONG AS YOU STOP TURNING THEM 3 DAYS BEFORE THE HATCH. WHEN YOU TURN THE EGGS BY HAND MAKE SURE AND WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE TOUCHING THE EGGS. I ALSO MARK THE EGGS WITH X'S AND O'S SO THAT I WILL MAKE SURE AND KEEP THEM TURNED 3 TO 4 TIMES A DAY. I DO NOT WASH THE EGGS BEFORE SETTING THEM BECAUSE IT CAN REMOVE THE PROTECTIVE COATING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE EGG AND LET IN BACTERIA. CHICKEN EGGS TAKE 21 DAYS, QUAIL 16 TO 21 DEPENDING ON THE BREED, DUCKS 28 TO 35, PEAFOWL 28, GUINEAS 28 DAYS. I DO NOT PUT DIFFERENT BREEDS IN THE SAME INCUBATOR UNLESS THEY ARE GOING TO HATCH ON THE SAME DAY. I HAVE 2 INCUBATORS SO THAT I CAN PUT THE HATCHING CHICKS IN IT AWAY FROM THE EGGS THAT HAVEN'T HATCHED BECAUSE THE HATCHED CHICKS AND BE ROUGH ON THE UNHATCHED EGGS. I USED A STILL AIR INCUBATOR AT FIRST AND THEN ADDED THE FORCED AIR CIRCULATOR AND MY HATCH RATE IMPROVED GREATLY SO I WOULD RECOMMEND A FORCED AIR INCUBATOR. YOU ALSO NEED TO STERILIZE YOU INCUBATOR AFTER EACH HATCHING. I USE BLEACH OR NOLVASAN. MY FAMILY ENJOYS HATCHING EGGS. IT IS A VERY EXCITING TIME FOR MY CHILDREN. IT IS ALSO A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE. I HOPE THIS GUIDE IS HELPFUL. BE SURE AND ASK THE SELLER ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR EGGS AND GOOD LUCK HATCHING!
Guide created: 02/17/08 (updated 04/05/09)
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