Chook Me!

Do you have to have a incubator to hatch baby chickens?

I want to hatch baby chickens and i need to know if you have to have a incubator or can i use a heat lamp? Because incubators are like $50.00!

Public Comments

1. you either need to have a heat source at exactly the right temperature, an incubator, or a hen...
2. You'd need $200 worth of heat lamps to MAYBE do what the $50 incubator WILL do, so the incubator is your best and really only choice.
3. u actually found an incubator for $50.00? incubators where i live cost like over $150.00! but i had a friend that hatched 4 chicks with a heat lamp but she hated it. she was always having to turn the eggs. because there wasn't an egg turner and she had to keep the humidity level perfect with a moist towel
4. no your chickens should do that but a heat lamp would help a lot put the eggs in a box with hay to keep them worm and put the heat lamp over the top not to close or you might cook the but why aren't the hens doing this job
5. Your hen will be the best incubator, but if she won't set on the eggs you will need an artificial incubator. A heat lamp isn't suitable for hatching eggs as they need a certain constant temperature (37.7C) and humidity to hatch. A heat lamp will not provide this. It will also dry the eggs out. Have you looked in local news papers etc for secondhand incubators? Or do you know a neighbour or friend with similar interests who you could share an incubator with?
6. Its a better chance of hatch with incubator, there only 42 dollars at tractor supply. If you do try useing a lamp, make sure the temp is 98-100 degrees and you have a sponge for humidity. Better chance with incubator.
7. Hi I too am playing the hatch an egg game ...I went and bought an incubator yesterday it cost about $89.00 for the incubator and egg turner. The incubators are made to controll temperature and humidity which is very important when hatching chicken eggs the temp need to be 99 degrees and the humidity 50% and the eggs have to be turned so the embryos wont stick to the sides of the eggs. I was trying a heat lamp at first but the temp got too hot temp has to be between 99-103 and hotter or colder isn't good.
8. an incubator cost about 300.00 first of all you can not put them under a light because the incubator needs water every day . you are suppost to turn the egg 3 times a day, and you have to kee the temp 95.5 degrees all the time for 21 days