Hatching Different Breeds

[dcjones1119]

We're fairly new to the chicken world. We've never tried hatching our own. Is it complicated? We have several different breeds of hens and 1 Welsummer rooster (named Chanticleer from the movie Rock-a-doodle). How will we know what breeds we're going to get?

 

[nuthatched]

You'll have mixed breed or mutt chickens. Incubation is fairly simple as long as you have a reliable incubator (please don't buy a 'yella chinabator' from amazon) with calibrated sensors.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/hatching-eggs-raising-chickens.22/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/incubators-brooders.27/

 

[dcjones1119]

You'll have mixed breed or mutt chickens. Incubation is fairly simple as long as you have a reliable incubator (please don't buy a 'yella chinabator' from amazon) with calibrated sensors.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/hatching-eggs-raising-chickens.22/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/incubators-brooders.27/

How will we know what color eggs they will lay?

 

[MommyGirl]

How will we know what color eggs they will lay?

Depends of which breeds you are mixing.

 

[nuthatched]

They'll lay somewhere in the range of thr parents breeds egg colors

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum from Louisiana, glad you joined.

We're fairly new to the chicken world. We've never tried hatching our own. Is it complicated?

Some people make it a lot more complicated than it has to be. If you are going to use an incubator, get a decent one and follow the instructions. If you haven't bought one yet you might start a thread on here asking about a specific one you are thinking about. Some are easier or more reliable than others.

Using a broody hen can seem a lot more complicated, mainly because you have so many more options on how to do that. The main problem with using a broody hen is to get one to go broody to start with. You can't control that which is why many of us use incubators. If you want to go the broody hen route, if you tell us about your facilities we may be able to help you uncomplicate the broody hen route.

We have several different breeds of hens and 1 Welsummer rooster (named Chanticleer from the movie Rock-a-doodle). How will we know what breeds we're going to get? How will we know what color eggs they will lay?

Unless you have Welsummer hens you will not get breeds. If the other hens are pure breeds you will get hybrids. If they are not breeds you will get crosses. If you can tell us what breeds or crosses you have we may be able to tell you what color and pattern chicks you might get. The Welsummer rooster should have the genetics for dark brown eggs. If we know what hens you have we may be able to tell you what color of eggs to expect when crossed with the Welsummer.

 

[dcjones1119]

You'll have mixed breed or mutt chickens. Incubation is fairly simple as long as you have a reliable incubator (please don't buy a 'yella chinabator' from amazon) with calibrated sensors.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/hatching-eggs-raising-chickens.22/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/incubators-brooders.27/

How will we know what color eggs they will lay

Hi, welcome to the forum from Louisiana, glad you joined.


Some people make it a lot more complicated than it has to be. If you are going to use an incubator, get a decent one and follow the instructions. If you haven't bought one yet you might start a thread on here asking about a specific one you are thinking about. Some are easier or more reliable than others.

Using a broody hen can seem a lot more complicated, mainly because you have so many more options on how to do that. The main problem with using a broody hen is to get one to go broody to start with. You can't control that which is why many of us use incubators. If you want to go the broody hen route, if you tell us about your facilities we may be able to help you uncomplicate the broody hen route.


Unless you have Welsummer hens you will not get breeds. If the other hens are pure breeds you will get hybrids. If they are not breeds you will get crosses. If you can tell us what breeds or crosses you have we may be able to tell you what color and pattern chicks you might get. The Welsummer rooster should have the genetics for dark brown eggs. If we know what hens you have we may be able to tell you what color of eggs to expect when crossed with the Welsummer.

Rhode island reds, barred rocks, black stars, black Australorps, and one each of the following: Easter egger, Ameraucana, cream legbar, blue Australorp, black copper Maran, welsummer

 

[Ridgerunner]

How will we know what color eggs they will lay

Rhode island reds, barred rocks, black stars, black Australorps,

All Brown

and one each of the following: Easter egger

Could be green or brown if she lays a blue or green egg. Will be brown if she lays a brown egg.

Ameraucana, cream legbar,

Green if they are pure breeds.

blue Australorp, black copper Maran, welsummer

Brown.