BackYard Chickens - Learn How to Raise Chickens

Oh my gosh, they're so cute! How often do you hatch?

These I purchased in March as chicks from a breeder I found an hour away. I was hatching almost constantly from about March until a month ago. With these fancier pure ones, they are all I'm going to hatch starting again in probably Feb/March. I have two incubators so can handle more than they can lay.

Do you hatch or incubate?

Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies

No, I don't. I can't (my parents wont let me) and my hen hasn't started laying yet. But as soon as she does, we're going to hatch one of her eggs to add to our coop. My dad keeps saying that we need another hen; why not hatch one?

Debbie292d

Yesterday, hubby and I drove 45 mins to the breeder where I bought the chicks this March. She contacted me a few days ago, saying she had an emergency and would I buy some fancy silky eggs at half price. So I broke my vow to never buy or hatch chicks until spring. :rolleyes:

Maybe a good idea to let your hen sit on 2-3 eggs instead of just 1.

Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies

Yeah, I might try doing multiple eggs. One of the hens used to sit on golf balls, which I don't have, but fake eggs will work just as fine. I do hope that they start to lay soon; I have enough room in the coop for at least 1 more. Also, the roo was hatched with the hen, but they don't have the same parents. They mate, but will the roo try to mate with his kid? That's what I'm really worried about.

Debbie292d

Oh yes, the roo will mate with a hen that's of laying age no matter if it's the roo's kid, sibling, or parent even. It isn't a problem unless new genes are never brought into the mix and the same roo keeps breeding with the offspring of his own offspring.

Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies

That's a bit of a problem... so inbreeding is a thing with chickens? Does it affect the offspring?

Debbie292d

Yes, it can be. Some show breeders got in trouble in fact, for rebreeding the same chickens for years. The chicks sometimes start having issues, and adults won't live as long. They can only be as strong as their parents, and if the genes have been bled down to nothing, then that's what you'll get.