Hatching chickens: incubation

Incubation is a safe, flexible and convenient way to expand your backyard flock by hatching chickens from fertilised eggs without the need for a mother (broody) hen. It’s also a rewarding project for families and the added handling makes for tame and friendly chicks.

Incubation allows you to:

• Hatch (or set) eggs any time of year.
• Hatch even without a broody hen.
• Hatch large numbers of chicks.
• Avoid predator risks.
• Gain full control of conditions (important with rarer breeds).

If you have a good mother hen handy when the chicks hatch, she may be co-opted into caring for them, otherwise congratulations, you get to raise the babies!

What is an incubator?

An incubator is an enclosed device with a built-in heater and fan that maintains controlled conditions of temperature, humidity, and ventilation to hatch fertile eggs artificially, replacing the mother hen for the 21-day incubation period. This will be your major outlay.
Auto-turn incubators electronically rotate eggs the required 3–6 times daily, while manual-turn models are cheaper but more work. Capacity can range from three eggs to 720-plus cabinet models. A cheap, imported, no-guarantees incubator costs $70 plus, while reputable brands with a reliable safety record start from $200. Always check online reviews before purchasing.

Learn more about how to use an incubator to hatch chicks in our Early Summer 2025 issue. If you would like to have a broody hen hatch your fertilised eggs, Jessamy Miller will cover that side of hatching chicks in our Summer 2026 issue — on sale December 12, 2025.