Incubators

Incubators

Add to your flock’s numbers with help from an incubator. Whether you’re hatching ducks or turkeys for the first time, improving your chickens’ birth rate or just growing your gaggle of geese, Tractor Supply stocks the incubators and related supplies you need to support the development of your chicks.

Reliable Help for a Healthier Hatch

The right incubator can provide the proper environment for birthing chicks from eggs – without needing layers to brood them. Automatic models use preset temperatures and humidity levels for many different egg types and hatch stages, and they can mimic a hen's behavior by turning eggs automatically, which helps to ensure their yolks don’t stick to their shells. Manual options let you adjust settings and turn eggs by hand. Each may come with additional features that let you monitor and adjust conditions via a digital display.

Forced-Air vs. Still-Air Incubation

For your hatchlings to be born as healthy as can be, they’ll need to mature under special environmental conditions. Whether it’s domestic poultry, wild waterfowl or gamebirds, you have two options, which include:

• Forced-air (circulated-air) incubators: With fans to help distribute heat more evenly and encourage airflow, and alerts for if temps or humidity are out of range, these are top choices for chicken, duck and turkey eggs.
• Still-air (gravity-flow) incubators: As these rely on air’s natural passage through vents and require more careful temperature and humidity management, they’re ideal for hatching quail, bantam and sometimes even geese.

FAQs About Our Incubator Selection

What kind of incubator do I need?

That depends on the type of eggs you'll be incubating and how many, plus how much automation you prefer. If you plan to hatch a specific bird species, you may need a specialized incubator. Smaller, all-in-one tabletop models are ideal for beginners nurturing a few chicks with limited space. More experienced keepers hatching more eggs may require a larger, cabinet-style option with separate trays for incubation and birthing. If you’re a farmer running a hatchery, however, you might want a commercial machine designed for scale, with separate setters and hatchers to support each incubation stage.

How do I use an incubator for hatching?

The steps may vary, so make sure to follow manufacturer recommendations. Generally, you should first make sure you’re using eggs that were collected properly and stored at the correct temperature — usually, 61°F to 63°F — to prevent premature development. Then, place them in the incubator, ensuring they’re spaced appropriately. Airflow should also be sufficient for embryos to get the oxygen and release the carbon dioxide necessary for their healthy development.

Now, set the incubator to the required temperature (often around 99.5°F for chickens) and humidity (usually, between 60% and 80%), to help prevent any embryos drying out. Monitor the incubator’s temperature, humidity and egg-turning intervals throughout the hatching process, adjusting each as needed.

Expand Your Flock with an Incubator and Accessories from Tractor Supply

Whether you prefer to curate the hatching process or set it to mostly run itself, you can find the ideal incubators in our inventory, plus everything else essential to bringing new chicks into the world. Check out our selection at your local Tractor Supply store or order online today.