We don't hatch very many, but when we do want to add to our flock we just let one of our broody Silkie's take care of the eggs... they are great mom's and we've luckily had 100% success with our Silkie moms.
Much easier if you just let a broodie hen do the hatching. Silkies are particularly great at hatching and proudly raise the chicks. We are at near 100% using Mother Nature’s way.
My wife has marked the fertilized eggs and we check the nesting box when our "mom" leaves the box, which is typically mid-day when she goes outside to cool down and eat. Learning and loving our girls every day.
I've lurked here for a few months and appreciate all the information and camaraderie. My daughter wanted chickens, but do to my profession in the U.S. Navy for 32 years and constantly moving it could just never happen. We finally bought the perfect house on a golf course where we'll put down...
Thanks so much for all the Poly-Vi-Sol posts! My daughter has eight hens and one was always a small hen (frizzle) who could barely walk and her left leg was nearly useless. She shook terribly and her head was always jerking. I had to build guardrails up the ramp to the coop so she could get...