Clueless

[treeowl]

HELP!! I want to let my chickens hatch some babies but I am scared that I don't know enough about it to do it. I collect my eggs so how do you decide which chicken will sit on them and how do you know which ones to collect after you leave some if they lay new eggs in the same nest?? My chickens seem to like just 2 of their boxes to lay in.
I had a bad experience recently trying to merge some new store bought chickens into my flock (post under Merging your flock) so I am also worried about having babies in the coop with all the other chickens, any insight would be appreciated.

 

[treeowl]

still waiting on your replies

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

First you need to make sure you have a broody hen. If she has stopped laying and sits on the nest constantly, slip the eggs under her preferrably at night.
Now you can mark the eggs you put under her with a pencil so you can identify them. Lots of folks will use a cat carrier and put the broody hen in there, protects her from other hens trying to lay in her box and keep the chicks from falling out when they hatch.