hatching eggs

[granny prepper]

Hi, I'm new here and have a question...why does everyone use an incubator...Is there some reason for the hens not hatching the chicks..I just got 6 hens and one rooster...they are laying like crazy..got one hen that hid her eggs..I found 8...how long does it take for the chicks to hatch...Thanks

 

[donjr721]

from what i have read, not all hens will hatch there eggs, they have to be broody, or willing to sit on them. it takes 21 days for eggs to hatch once the hen sits on them and stays on them, also the same in the incubator 21 days. my rhode island reds drop their eggs and go. i have read that some breeds will try to hatch a golf ball, its all interesting. i just built an incubator and going to set eggs this weeks.

 

[TheFarmMama]

Granny, donjr is correct-a hen must go broody before she will set a clutch of eggs. Not all breeds of chickens will go broody. If your hen is laying her eggs and abandoning them they will not hatch. Most people use an incubator because it is more convenient than waiting for a hen to go broody and hatch them herself. Bators also give you freedom to set more eggs than one hen could handle. It takes 18-21 days for a chick to hatch.