hi guys ive just got 15 hens about few month ago and im loving them ive just built a separate run for some bantams so i thought id try hatching some ive just purchased a brinsea Mini II Advance Incubator and would like lots of advise please my plan is so far i have built a 4ft long by 2ft wide wood brooder box and have a electric brooder plate is that all i need
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RichmondHens
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How many chicks are you hoping to hatch? Remember half will be cockerels. Do you have plans for those? Don't expect to be able to rehome them all, most people don't want other people's spare cockerels unless they are excellent examples of pure breeds, and even then they will be lucky to find a home.
Once hatched keep them in the incubator for 24 hours to fully dry off and be strong on their legs. They can then go into the brooder.
As long as the brooder box is draught free and totally secure, then an electric hen in one corner at the correct height (adjusted every couple of days) is sufficient to keep 20 chicks warm for as long as it takes them to grow their feathers. At this time of year chicks can be off heat by 4 weeks old, but be prepared to keep them on heat if there is a sudden cold spell.
Once they are off heat then they can move into a secure coop/run outside on the grass. Don't mix chicks into your existing flock until the youngsters are at least 16 weeks old.
Once hatched keep them in the incubator for 24 hours to fully dry off and be strong on their legs. They can then go into the brooder.
As long as the brooder box is draught free and totally secure, then an electric hen in one corner at the correct height (adjusted every couple of days) is sufficient to keep 20 chicks warm for as long as it takes them to grow their feathers. At this time of year chicks can be off heat by 4 weeks old, but be prepared to keep them on heat if there is a sudden cold spell.
Once they are off heat then they can move into a secure coop/run outside on the grass. Don't mix chicks into your existing flock until the youngsters are at least 16 weeks old.
dinosaw
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All good advice by Richmond. Don't forget you will need chick crumb, a small amount of chick grit plus a small feeder and drinker. With the Brinsea Mini's, once the eggs have started to pip NEVER open the incubator until all of your eggs have hatched, it loses so much humidity and it will adversely effect the remaining chicks ability to eat through the membrane. It will be worth having a dry run of the machine to make sure you can comfortably get humidity up to 70% at the time of hatching by using the water reservoir, if not then small pieces of wet sponge can be used to raise humidity levels.
All good advice so far - but do prepare a liner out of something soft, like cotton cloth or shelf lining stuff, to enable their little feet to grip so they don't get spraddled legs as they dry out. Remove the turning circle when the day comes to boost the humidity and go into lockdown for the hatch, and add the liner before replacing the eggs.
Brinsea minis are excellent little incubators, I had good hatches with mine. Many people have found that it's best to keep the humidity really low until boosting it for the hatch. Atmospheric humidity of 45% is adequate on its own, and too much humidity will adversely affect the chicks through their porous shells, so they may even 'drown' if it's too hgh.
How much space do you have for all these birds? Remember, each adult needs a minimum run space of 2 sq metres, and overcrowding leads to problems. And as Dinosaw says, you need separate accommodation for your young birds until at least 16 weeks old, so a separate run is needed.
Brinsea minis are excellent little incubators, I had good hatches with mine. Many people have found that it's best to keep the humidity really low until boosting it for the hatch. Atmospheric humidity of 45% is adequate on its own, and too much humidity will adversely affect the chicks through their porous shells, so they may even 'drown' if it's too hgh.
How much space do you have for all these birds? Remember, each adult needs a minimum run space of 2 sq metres, and overcrowding leads to problems. And as Dinosaw says, you need separate accommodation for your young birds until at least 16 weeks old, so a separate run is needed.
thanks guys , thats great for the brooding then i only plan getting 6 eggs to start and i know they all prob wont hatch , my incubator came with a corigated cardboard base ? , my run is seperate from my hens ive built this purely for bantams its 8 sq meters , so whats the plan of attack when the time comes to do eggs simply fill res sup with water turn incubator on day before leave eggs to rest 24hrs then put in
Yes, test the incubator before putting the eggs in - if it's new it's probably OK but if you have a good digital thermometer, put it inside and see if it agrees with what you've st the incubator to. Personally I would put just a minimal splash of water in to start with - does th control panel tell you what the humidity is? One of those little hygrometers would enable you to test that humidity was no higher than 45% whe the incubator was heated up.
What sort of eggs are you getting, and where are they coming from?
What sort of eggs are you getting, and where are they coming from?
Ebay eggs are sometimes very dodgy, too old or too dirty to hatch and sometimes incredibly expensive for what they are. Plus they have to go through the post, which adds travel time and increases the risk that they will be badly shaken up en route. However, there are some good breeders on eBay and maybe people on here could recommend one, if we knew what you were after, Any idea what breed of bantams you're looking for? It's possible that some of our knowledgeable members might be able to supply you with suitable eggs, well-packed, nice and fresh, and from good parent stock - (the conditions the parents are kept in, and their age and fertility, are very important to the hatch rate and strength of the chicks.) Whereabouts do you live, and how far would you be happy to travel to collect eggs yourself so they don't have to be posted?
ye im not 100% yet i fancy silkys and polish ones but dont really know whats out there , im at staithes so dont really want to travel more than 20 miles . back to the breeder box how long can i keep them in this for as my plan is from this then into there own outdoor pen so ideally could 2 month be ok .
Minorcafan
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I use a small house for growers in their outdoor run which is replaced by a larger house as they grow larger. Since foxes visit all my runs are double fenced and enclosed.
valeriebutterley
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I have had 100% hatches from ebay eggs, but very recently 1 lone survivor of a dozen eggs from a reputable firm with a good reputation. So look for 100% on their sites, I think it helps.
So I certainly have no complaints about ebay eggs from small caring sellers, and these are obvious by what they say about their hens in the seller bit.
In one of my recent hatches however, I have the most charming "purebred" Pekin who is obviously a Silkie hybrid!!, but she is a darling and my granddaughters want to keep her and have called her Muffy, because of her muff and whiskers. So be prepared for some charming outcomes, and go with your gut.
A lot of people boast about show winners, etc., I do not think it means a thing necessarily.
So I certainly have no complaints about ebay eggs from small caring sellers, and these are obvious by what they say about their hens in the seller bit.
In one of my recent hatches however, I have the most charming "purebred" Pekin who is obviously a Silkie hybrid!!, but she is a darling and my granddaughters want to keep her and have called her Muffy, because of her muff and whiskers. So be prepared for some charming outcomes, and go with your gut.
A lot of people boast about show winners, etc., I do not think it means a thing necessarily.
Minorcafan
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Light breeds are usually good layers eg Minorcas and leghorns or the different colours of Sussex, Rhode islands, auracaunas or if you want slightly more unusual birds go for Polish. Silkies will lay a clutch then go broody
dinosaw
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Depends on what suits you and how you intend to raise them. Polands for instance have huge crests which make them easy targets for other breeds without them, so they are perhaps best kept separately. Some breeds hate human contact etc.
Grab yourself a cheap copy of the book below and have a look at the different breeds. It has info on temperament, egg laying etc for most of the major breeds and is reasonably accurate in it's descriptions.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Choosing-Keeping-Chickens-Chris-Graham/075371552X
Grab yourself a cheap copy of the book below and have a look at the different breeds. It has info on temperament, egg laying etc for most of the major breeds and is reasonably accurate in it's descriptions.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Choosing-Keeping-Chickens-Chris-Graham/075371552X
Do you mean these?
https://poultrykeeper.com/chicken-breeds/vorwerk-chickens/
https://poultrykeeper.com/chicken-breeds/vorwerk-chickens/
Minorcafan
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There are a few breeds with fluffy legs; bantams and large breeds 
just got some vorwerk eggs big day tomorow have i got my brinsea advance set right . 37.5 degree c turn every 60 mins 21 days cooling for 60mins turn angle 10 . also ill put incubator on in morn ready to heat up ect for evening do i need to fill both reservours and is the days still set to 21
