How old should a hen be?

[rancher hicks]

I intend to set eggs to hatch. I have some hens that are 5 mos. old CM's laying nice sized eggs and some hens 10 mos old Dels. And some I'm sure are at least a year. Dels also.

Should I expect any problems hatching these eggs? I'm aware the older hens eggs will be fine. I will be using a Hova Bator. I've used it before and only used the older hens eggs. I got 6 out of 13.

 

[pkeeler]

If they are laying good sized eggs, you should be able to hatch them (assuming you have a rooster

)

 

[bargain]

Have you checked your 5 month olds for fertility bullets? I'm thinking 5 is a bit young usually for this breed. How long have they been laying...... Usually for me, it's a minimum of 1 month of laying on eggs before I'll try to hatch, as I don't like to hatch the pullet eggs.....The pullet eggs will sometimes hatch, but often not....

Just my 2 cents and hope it helps!

Have a blessed one!

 

[kathyinmo]

Alot of people hatch pullet eggs. I just hatched a BR from a pullet ... her 4th egg ever.

You do have a rooster, right? Have you checked for the, "bullseye," to assure fertility?

 

[rancher hicks]

They've been laying for a approx. a month The CM's that is. The other's about 5 month's now. I only intend to hatch the Del eggs of my flock. My roo is a Del. I've got 5 CM hens w/ a CM roo. Seperate of course. Today I watched the Del hens and waited for them to lay their eggs. There were no other eggs in the box so I'm sure there Del eggs. Isn't a pullet a young female chicken who has not started to lay?

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
The term "pullet" refers to a young hen, usually under one year of age .... laying or not.

It can refer to a laying hen or a meat chicken but is more typically used in reference to a laying hen.