WARNING: This is packed with dumb/newbie questions!
Our 8 bantams are coming of the egg laying age. We are finishing a new coop that will have nesting boxes.
1) Will the hens lay ALL of their eggs in the boxes? Will they know to do that? Or only the fertilized ones...can they tell the difference?
Also, I've read threads on people letting their hens simply sit on the eggs until they hatch instead of incubating them.
2) We don't have an incubator, so can we just let the hens sit on the eggs if we decide we want chicks? Will they hatch?
And what about ducks.
3) Do they need nesting boxes on the floor? Do we need to build large boxes for them?
Thanks so much to everyone who puts up with me and helps me through the struggles of raising poultry!

Our 8 bantams are coming of the egg laying age. We are finishing a new coop that will have nesting boxes.
1) Will the hens lay ALL of their eggs in the boxes? Will they know to do that? Or only the fertilized ones...can they tell the difference?
Also, I've read threads on people letting their hens simply sit on the eggs until they hatch instead of incubating them.
2) We don't have an incubator, so can we just let the hens sit on the eggs if we decide we want chicks? Will they hatch?

And what about ducks.

3) Do they need nesting boxes on the floor? Do we need to build large boxes for them?
Thanks so much to everyone who puts up with me and helps me through the struggles of raising poultry!
