Hatching chickens naturally help

[Chickenshelpingchickens]

Ok, so I have tried to hatch chickens in the past. I tried it in the incubator the first and second time failed bc of the incubator did not work. So now I have decided to raise them all from home bc I already have a roster. I let my roster in the coop with my girls for a couple hours. Now I had a dozen of fertile eggs until one of my ladies broke one ugg. So now I have 11 fertile eggs and my girls don't always sit on them. They have a heat lamp over them or do they need a hen on them too?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. You need a broody hen to incubate the eggs. Some breeds do not go broody, others do. What breeds are your chickens?

I’m assuming you cracked an egg and saw that it was fertile?

Either way, simply remove and eat the eggs until one of your girls goes broody. Then take a look here - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/learning-center.11/

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I am afraid that fertile eggs need a lot more than just a heat lamp. They need to be in a stable climate controlled environment. Temp needs to be regulated between 99.5*F-100.5*F- as well as the humidity needs to be controlled.

This topic should most likely be posted here
Incubating & Hatching Eggs
vs the introductions forum you are inquiring in.
Good luck on your endeavor.

 

[Chickenshelpingchickens]

I have a couple of somewhat broody hens and they all go on and off of laying on them. I have some windots,amerainas, buffs, and other (sorry for the spelling). I know the eggs are fertile bc I I waited 4 to 5 days and candled all the eggs and found dark spot of the developing chick. I was just wondering if having a heat lamp is an ok in between hens laying on them.

 

[Chickenshelpingchickens]

Thank you I live in the south and it is beyond humid and hot. Girls lay on and off of them so would that be ok.

 

[lazy gardener]

A hen is not "somewhat broody". She either is, or she isn't. If she is, she sits on the eggs every day and night, only getting off for a few minutes now and then to eat, poop and stretch her legs. A broody hen does not lay eggs. Putting a heat lamp in your coop in the middle of the summer is a good way to kill your chickens.

 

[Chickenshelpingchickens]

Right except that my coop is in the shade and it has a fan and on top of that they free range. Since the eggs have already been developing wouldn't that mean that having different hens laying on it would be ok.

 

[lazy gardener]

Each person must choose our poultry management paths according to what makes sense to the individual. I would not choose that path for my flock, even here in Maine.

 

[Pork Pie]

Right except that my coop is in the shade and it has a fan and on top of that they free range. Since the eggs have already been developing wouldn't that mean that having different hens laying on it would be ok.

To be honest - no. It’s simply not the way chickens are hard-wired. However, if you wish to continue then do so and please let us know how it goes - it could be a learning process for us all.

 

[Kiki]

Thank you I live in the south and it is beyond humid and hot. Girls lay on and off of them so would that be ok.

South as in my state?

I have see game hens down here, in my area, lay a clutch of eggs this time of year and NOT sit on them very often...and they do hatch.