You’ll need to calibrate your incubator, maintain temperatures between 60-70°F, and monitor humidity closely during the 21-day incubation period. Once chicks hatch around day 19-20, set up a brooder with pine shavings and a heat plate starting at 90-95°F. Provide starter feed with at least 18% protein and fresh water within 24 hours. Weigh chicks weekly and reduce heat by 5°F weekly as they develop. Mastering these fundamentals sets the foundation for thriving flocks throughout their growth stages.
Preparing Your Incubation Setup
Before you add eggs to your incubator, you’ll need to set up your space carefully to assure stable conditions throughout the incubation period. Choose your incubator location in an area that’s easy to access for frequent water refills while avoiding direct sunlight and drafts. Maintain a consistent room temperature between 60-70°F to assure reliable incubator operation. Additionally, ensure you have the necessary poultry supplies on hand to support chick care once they hatch. Old English Game chickens, known for their striking variety of color patterns, can be a unique choice if you’re planning to raise these chicks.
Next, prioritize equipment calibration by testing both temperature and humidity probes before use. Place an additional thermometer inside your incubator to verify the built-in gauge’s accuracy. Allow your incubator to stabilize at 99-101°F for several hours before adding eggs.
Clean all components thoroughly with warm water and white vinegar for waterproof parts, wiping non-submersible sections with a damp towel. Complete air drying is essential before operation, even for new units. Using distilled water and a hydrometer will help you maintain and monitor the precise humidity levels needed for successful egg development. The moderate egg-laying capacity of Old English Game chickens (160–180 small white eggs per year) makes them an interesting choice for those interested in more than just production.
Understanding the Hatching Process
Once you’ve locked down your incubator around day 18, the real magic begins—your embryos’ll shift from a passive growth phase into active hatching behaviors that culminate in chick emergence. Understanding this hatching timeline is critical for success. Chickens can safely eat asparagus in various forms, which can boost their overall health and vigor. During this period, it’s good to know that Silkie chickens typically lay light-colored eggs, providing an interesting feature for any backyard flock.
Your chicks’ll internally pip into the air cell around day 19–20, then externally pip the shell 24–48 hours later. Zipping—the sequential cracking around the blunt end—follows, taking 12–48 hours as the chick rotates using its egg tooth. During this process, chicks also communicate with parents through soft chirping sounds to signal their progress toward hatching. It’s important to maintain calm interactions during this period to reduce stress on the chicks.
Environmental factors remain paramount. Maintain stable temperature and raise humidity to 75–80% during lockdown to prevent shrink-wrapping. Minimize disturbance during these final incubation techniques; resist candling excessively. Your chicks’ll emerge tired and wet; they’ll dry naturally over 12–24 hours. This embryo development phase demands patience and precision.
Setting Up Your Brooder Space
As your chicks emerge from the incubator, you’ll need a dedicated space that protects them from drafts, predators, and temperature fluctuations while supporting their rapid growth. Select a sturdy brooder container—plastic totes, puppy playpens, or wooden boxes work well—with walls at least 18-36 inches high and secure lids.
Line your brooder container with 3-4 inches of pine shavings, avoiding slippery materials like newspaper. Add puppy pads for traction to prevent splayed legs. For enhanced absorbency and odor control, consider adding Sweet Coop® to your litter.
Position a brooder plate as your heat source, maintaining 90-95°F initially and decreasing 5°F weekly. Place feeders and waterers away from heat to prevent contamination.
Monitor chick behavior—huddling signals cold, spreading indicates overheating. Maintain an indoor, draft-free location with proper ventilation. Clean daily and refresh bedding weekly for ideal health.
Caring for Newly Hatched Chicks
Your brooder’s ready, but the real work starts the moment those chicks hatch. Keep them under heat until fully dry and fluffy to prevent chilling. Provide water within 24 hours—dip beaks gently if needed—and sprinkle starter feed on paper towels for easy access. It’s crucial to use starter feeds for chicks that contain higher protein levels to support their rapid development. Additionally, you can consider incorporating sugar syrup as a controlled energy source into their diet, as it can safely replace part of the energy-providing corn portion in poultry feeds without harm. Remember that providing an appropriate balance of energy-rich foods, such as cracked corn in moderation, can also help support their growth and development. Selecting a nutritionally balanced feed is essential to ensure all dietary needs are met during this phase. However, be cautious with other feed types, as some, like sweet feed, may not meet the nutritional requirements necessary for optimal health.
Monitor breathing, vent conditions, and navel health daily during the first week. Watch behavioral cues: huddling indicates cold; spreading suggests overheating. Weigh chicks weekly to track growth. Use chick-specific starter feed formulated for optimal nutrition during their critical early development stages.
Implement biosecurity measures immediately: change bedding frequently, sanitize feeders and waterers daily, and limit visitor contact. Use medicated starter if coccidiosis prevention’s desired, and consult your vet before administering medications.
Once dry and active, introduce supervised floor time and shallow perches for environmental enrichment. Gradually reduce temperature weekly as feathering progresses, preparing chicks for adaptation to larger spaces.
Feeding, Watering, and Monitoring Growth
While your chicks’ initial survival depends on warmth and shelter, their long-term development hinges on consistent nutrition and hydration. Your feeding strategies should provide starter feed containing at least 18% protein, offering 1-2 ounces daily per chick. Allocate 1-2 linear inches of feeder space initially, increasing to 4 inches by week 7. Address protein requirements carefully: laying breeds need 16-18 grams daily for six weeks, while meat birds require 23 grams initially, then 20 grams weeks 3-6. Free feeding allows chicks to eat according to their own nutritional needs rather than following strict feeding schedules. Additionally, incorporating high-protein layer feed can support optimal growth and health during the early stages of their development, and it’s important to provide freshly formulated chick starter feed to ensure their nutritional needs are met. To further enhance their nutrition, consider using homemade chicken feed recipes that allow for flexibility in ingredient sources.
Moreover, implementing a balanced diet that caters to different free-range chicken breeds can further enhance growth and productivity as your chicks mature.
To maintain a healthy environment, daily cleaning of feeders is essential to prevent the buildup of waste and bacteria.
For water management, maintain two 1-quart waterers per 25 chicks with fresh room-temperature water changed daily. Position waterers outside the heat lamp zone and elevate them as chicks grow.
Monitor growth assessment by weighing chicks weekly against your 1-pound benchmark, observing adult feather emergence around week 5 to time feed changes appropriately.
