Hatching & Brooding Your Own Chicks

1. Acquire Chicks Wisely: Breed, Purpose, and Source Matter

Where you obtain your first baby poultry — whether they be chicks, keets, poults, ducklings, or goslings — will be determined to some extent by what breed or breeds you want and why you want them.

Purpose-driven selection. Choosing the right breed is paramount, aligning with your goals: egg production, meat, exhibition, or simply enjoyment. Layer breeds like Leghorns excel at egg-laying, while meat breeds such as Cornish crosses grow rapidly for meat production. Dual-purpose breeds offer a balance, and ornamental breeds prioritize aesthetics.

Source considerations. The source of your chicks significantly impacts their health and breed purity. Farm stores offer convenience but may lack breed information. Local breeders provide acclimated strains and expertise, while hatcheries offer variety and NPIP certification. Specialty breeders are ideal for specific breed standards or heritage breeds.

Timing is everything. Spring is the optimal time to acquire chicks, aligning with natural laying cycles and favorable weather conditions. This timing ensures healthy chicks, reduces disease risk, and allows pullets to begin laying in the fall. Consider the timing of the year and the weather in your area when planning your chick acquisition.

2. Brooder Basics: Space, Heat, Safety, and Sanitation

As long as you maintain the principles of security and warmth, the possibilities for brooding chicks are limited only by your imagination.

Essential features. A well-designed brooder provides adequate space, a reliable heat source, escape-proof construction, protection from predators, draft-free environment, good ventilation, and proper flooring. These elements are crucial for hatchling survival and healthy development.

Brooder options. Brooders can range from simple homemade setups like cardboard boxes or plastic totes to ready-made commercial units. Area brooders offer expandability, while battery brooders maximize space. The choice depends on budget, space, and the number of birds.

Heat management. Maintaining the correct temperature is critical. Start at 90-95°F and reduce it by 5°F each week. Observe chick behavior to adjust heat: crowding indicates cold, while panting signals overheating. Proper ventilation is also essential to prevent moisture buildup and ensure adequate oxygen.

3. Water, Feed, and Bedding: The Foundation of Chick Health

A chick’s body needs water for all life processes, including digestion, metabolism, and respiration.

Hydration is key. Provide fresh, clean water at brooder temperature from day one. Use chick drinkers to prevent drowning and contamination. Consider additives like sugar for initial energy or electrolytes for stress.

Nutritional needs. Commercial starter rations provide balanced nutrition. Choose medicated feed based on your management style and disease risk. Supplement with treats like chopped greens or baby cereal in moderation.

Bedding choices. Select bedding that is absorbent, non-toxic, and easy to clean. Options include paper towels (initially), pine shavings, pellet bedding, or shredded paper. Manage bedding to prevent moisture buildup and maintain a sanitary environment.

4. Growth Stages: Feathering, Foraging, and Socializing

Hatchlings don’t stay cute and fluffy for long. They quickly start growing feathers, and before you know it they look like miniature versions of their mature selves.

Feather development. Hatchlings develop down first, followed by pinfeathers and then feathers. Wing feathers appear first, followed by tail and body feathers. Feathering rate varies by breed and temperature.

Socialization and taming. Handle chicks gently and frequently to acclimate them to humans. Supervise children and pets to prevent injury. Introduce outdoor time gradually, providing protection from predators and the elements.

Separating sexes. As chicks mature, separate males from females to manage aggression and optimize growth. Identify gender through vent sexing, color sexing, feather sexing, or sexual dimorphism. Adjust flock ratios based on species and purpose.

5. Health Watch: Prevention and Early Intervention

You can easily tell how comfortable your chicks are by the way they arrange themselves in the brooder.

Recognizing health. Monitor chicks for signs of illness: changes in smell, sound, appearance, or droppings. Early detection and intervention are crucial for successful treatment. Isolate sick birds to prevent disease spread.

Common ailments. Coccidiosis is a major threat, preventable through sanitation and medicated feed. Marek's disease, a viral infection, can be prevented by vaccination. Blackhead affects turkeys and guineas, requiring careful management.

Environmental factors. Address environmental issues like smothering, pasting, and ammonia buildup through proper brooder management. Provide adequate space, ventilation, and sanitation.

6. Broody Hens: Nature's Incubators

So began my quest to learn all about hatching the eggs of not only my chickens but also the ducks, geese, guineas, and turkeys that have populated my barnyard over the years.

Broodiness defined. Broodiness is the instinct to incubate eggs, varying by breed. Some hens are reliable setters, while others are unreliable or non-broody. Broodiness stops egg-laying, making it undesirable for commercial layers.

Brooding facilities. Provide a quiet, safe nesting site for broody hens, separate from the main flock. Nest boxes should be spacious, well-ventilated, and protected from predators. Move hens at night to minimize stress.

Management tips. Ensure broody hens have access to food and water. Monitor their health and the nest's cleanliness. Allow natural incubation, but be prepared to intervene if necessary.

7. Incubator Selection: Matching Features to Needs

So why would anyone bother hatching eggs in an incubator when hatchlings are so readily available from local breeders, farm stores, and mail order?

Capacity considerations. Choose an incubator size based on your hatching volume. Account for a typical hatch rate of 80-85%. Consider egg size when estimating capacity.

Key features. Evaluate incubators based on turning devices (manual or automatic), airflow (still air or forced air), temperature control (mechanical or electronic), humidity control (manual or automatic), ease of observation, and ease of cleaning.

Cost vs. convenience. Balance price with desired features and your willingness to invest time in manual operation. Infrared heaters are more efficient and safer than light bulbs. Panel heaters are the safest and most efficient.

8. Hatching Eggs: Quality, Handling, and Storage

By paying careful attention to detail, starting with when and how you collect eggs destined for hatching, you can look forward to the enormously rewarding experience of hatching your own chicks.

Egg selection. Choose eggs of normal size, shape, and color for the breed. Avoid cracked, thin-shelled, or dirty eggs. Select eggs from healthy, mature breeders.

Egg sources. Obtain eggs from reputable sources: local breeders, hatcheries, or specialty breeders. Consider NPIP certification for disease prevention. Be cautious with mail-order eggs due to shipping risks.

Storage practices. Store hatching eggs at 50-60°F with 75% humidity for no more than 7-10 days. Turn eggs daily to prevent yolk adhesion. Handle eggs carefully to avoid damage.

9. Incubation Operation: Temperature, Humidity, and Turning

By paying careful attention to detail, starting with when and how you collect eggs destined for hatching, you can look forward to the enormously rewarding experience of hatching your own chicks.

Temperature control. Maintain a consistent temperature: 99.5°F for forced-air incubators, 102°F for still-air incubators. Monitor temperature with accurate thermometers. Adjust heat based on chick behavior.

Humidity management. Regulate humidity using water pans, vents, and sponges. Aim for 55-60% humidity during incubation and 65-70% during hatching. Monitor air-cell size to gauge humidity levels.

Egg turning. Turn eggs at least three times daily (or use an automatic turner) for the first 18 days (chickens) or 25 days (others). Stop turning before hatching to allow chicks to position themselves.

10. Troubleshooting Hatch Failures: Analysis and Solutions

Even old pros experience pangs of anxiety during this waiting period, because we know — mostly from past experience — all the things that can go wrong.

Record keeping. Maintain detailed records of each hatch, including egg source, dates, temperature, humidity, and hatch results. This data helps identify patterns and improve future hatches.

Breakout analysis. Examine unhatched eggs to determine the cause of failure. Look for signs of infertility, early death, malposition, or contamination. Identify patterns to address underlying issues.

Common problems. Address issues like coccidiosis, cannibalism, and crooked toes through proper management and treatment. Prevent environmental sickness through sanitation and stress reduction.

11. Hatchling ID: Tracking Pedigree and Progress

Between the fun of maintaining a breeder flock (or otherwise acquiring fertile eggs of the sort you want) and the joy of raising your own baby poultry comes a 3-to-4-week period of anticipation while you wait for the hatchlings to appear.

Pedigree tracking. If you want to track the parentage of each hatchling, use embryo dyeing, egg separators, or pedigree baskets to keep chicks from different matings separate.

Identification methods. Apply permanent identification methods like leg bands, wing bands, or toe punches to track individual birds. Choose a method that is safe, effective, and easy to manage.

Record keeping. Maintain detailed records for each bird, including breed, parentage, hatch date, sex, color, and identification number. This information is essential for breeding programs and flock management.

Last updated: March 11, 2025