Counting chicks before they hatch?

[Cyneswith]

I'm thinking far(ish) future here - my flock hasn't even hatched yet, and won't be able to breed until spring at earliest (and I'm inclined to wait until after their first molt to hatch any - feel free to weigh in on that.) But I need to be a few months ahead in planning.

I have an 8 chicken coop/pen. My flock will be 8 chickens, with no fatalities. If I choose to hatch, I want to have a separation coop to allow for chicks that don't sell as babies. The prospective coop/pen can house 4 grown chickens.

So... Do I limit myself to incubating 4 eggs at a time? Do I go ahead and incubate 7 like the cheapest incubators hold, counting on fatalities and sales? I can't afford a bigger coop.

 

[RodNTN]

Let's say you want four chicks? Put four eggs in the incubator, huh? Nope, that's not how it works. An average hatch rate is 50%, low is around 20% or 30%. A high hatch rate is 75% or higher.
If you want four chicks, you might want to set 10+ eggs. But if your hatch rate is high, than you will have to figure out what to do with extra's. Hatching is risky all around.

 

[RodNTN]

I would get a bigger incubator, also. When chicken math sets in, you'll be extremely grateful for thinking in the long term.

 

[Cyneswith]

Thank you! I want to be sure to hatch at least 2 at a time - I'll go for 7 if/when I incubate. At least this year, I can't afford more chicken math.

I already went from "3 laying hens, to see if I like chickens" to "flock of 8 including a rooster. Oh, and a separation pen for babies!"

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm thinking far(ish) future here - my flock hasn't even hatched yet, and won't be able to breed until spring at earliest (and I'm inclined to wait until after their first molt to hatch any - feel free to weigh in on that.) But I need to be a few months ahead in planning.
....

I think it is fine to hatch pullet eggs - as long as the eggs have reached full size. No need to wait a year or longer.

 

[WVduckchick]

Give a broody hen 1 or 2 more eggs than you want to hatch. They have much better hatch rates than incubating.

IF you incubate, you WILL expand. Jus sayin... lol

 

[mill-j]

Another factor is that an average of 50% roosters is normal. For us that's no problem, they get bigger and make better meat birds. But if you don't butcher chickens this might be a problem.

Oh and yes incubating is like a fever

 

[Cyneswith]

I INTEND to eat the cockerels that don't sell, and laying hens SHOULD be easy to move (not really looking for profit, just enjoying chicks). My first separation pen-ful should tell.