I have decided to increase the number of my laying hens. I am very pleased to say that there of plenty of people who appreciate a good egg when they taste one, and demand for my eggs often exceeds supply. However, I am mindful that my eggs are only as lovely as they are because of the life my hens lead. That is, a free range life which would not be the same if there were too many of them. So, with caution, I am hatching out a mixed batch of eggs in my incubator. They are a mixture of pure breeds. Chosen for their beautiful feathers, interesting egg colours, and docile temperaments. They aren’t the sort of birds which will lay huge numbers of eggs, but they will be lovely to have around, and should live relatively long and happy lives.

I bought the eggs online from breeders with good stock and good reputations, and they arrived by post, all beautifully packaged up and protected. Nevertheless, eggs don’t like going through our postal system and there will no doubt be some eggs which haven’t survived the journey. Even an egg which hasn’t cracked, if sufficiently shaken in transit, won’t survive to remain viable. So, I have put 20 eggs in the incubator, but I very much doubt that I shall get 20 little chicks out.

After unpacking, I selected what I felt were the best eggs, and left them to rest pointy end down in a cool environment for 24 hours, tilting them alternately left and right every few hours.

Then, on Wednesday 18th January 2012, at 11.33am, I put them into my (literally) all-singing-all-dancing incubator. It is an R-Com 20 Pro incubator, and maintains the perfect environment for the eggs to germinate in. Chicken eggs take 21 days to hatch. For the first 18 days, the incubator keeps the temperature at 37.5°C and the humidity at 45%. Also, during this time, it turns the eggs by 90 degrees every hour.
When it does this, it sings them a little tune ! Honest !
Click on the video logo right to see for yourself ................................ (be patient)
From day 18 onwards, it stops turning the eggs, reduces the temperature to 37°C, and increases the humidity to 60%. All of which helps the chicks prepare for hatching. By then I will know if I have any babies coming, as I’ll be able to hear them calling from inside their shells. And I know that I shalln’t be able to resist the urge to answer them.
Yes, that’s right, I’ll be standing in our study clucking away like an old hen !

Hatch day is due to be Wednesday 8th February 2012.
Watch this space ...... !?!