[pilgrim]

I am wanting to buy some fertile eggs to hatch in an incubator but im not sure what equipment i need for the whole process of hatching and looking after chicks !

[joyfull]

Hi, Katie Thear does a book on incubation, here is a link to it:-

http://www.poultry.allotment-garden.org/chicken_books.php


However a few questions - why do you wish to start off with eggs rather than buying point of lay chickens which are far easier for a new starter?
and also
have you thought what you will do with the resulting cockerels? You will get some in fact you will more than likely end up with more than half being cockerels.

[Foxy]

This is really not a good time of year to hatch chicks. To develop into strong adults they need to be hatched early spring to benefit from longer, warmer days and young grass, that is unless you have purpose built sheds or a barn where you can keep them warm and with sufficent light.
The problem  you may find with hatching eggs this time of year is that cockerels are often firing blanks, if there firing at all this time of year! Fertiltiy increases with the lengthening of the days in early spring - so you could end up with an incubator full of clear eggs.

[LittleRedHen]

As my Molly just went broody again, I attempted to find some fertile eggs, and was told by all the people I contacted that they didn't have any.  I was relieved because I thought that it would be very difficult to keep chicks warm and healthy this time of year.  Not a good idea, apparently.