Natural hatching eggs, no incubator -Newbie at this-Help!

[rayki]

Hello!

So, I am on a new adventure with chickens. We have 6 rhode island reds and 1 rooster. We are wanting to hatch out 3 more rhode island reds. I've read that in the nest there will need to be 8-10 eggs before a hen will sit on the eggs. Is this true? Also, could we just replace white store bought eggs to make up the other eggs so there will not be anymore fertilized eggs? There are restrictions in our city and we are just wanting to try out hatching a few at first. Any pointers or tips would be great

Thank you!
-Rachel K

 

[lazy gardener]

You can't induce a hen to be broody, even by leaving eggs in the nest. If your hens are from a hatchery, they have genetics working against them for ever getting the desire to be broody. Your best bet is to buy, borrow, or build an incubator. Remember, if you want to add 3 more hens to your flock, you're going to have to hatch at least 6 eggs. You might get lucky, and have beginners luck, but there's a steep learning curve to incubation. Set 12 eggs. Hope that 6 hatch. End up with 4 roosters, and 2 pullets.

 

[Lovechicks122]

She should sit on that many or more im a vet

 

[rayki]

They came from an Amish farm so I'm sure they are not from a hatchery. If I do incubate them will my current reds attack the chicks if I integrate them in with them?

 

[rayki]

So, I can just stick with the three?

 

[lazy gardener]

It depends on how you do it. Your current flock will most likely not integrate well with them until they are almost full sized, unless you do have a broody. In that case, she will likely protect them from her flock mates, and integration will be a non issue.

 

[rayki]

I may just attempt to see if one will go broody then. There's no big deal if it doesn't happen. I would rather prefer a smooth integration and do not want to put any chicks in harms way.

 

[Beer can]

If your RIRs are really dark dark red they more then likely are a heritage breed of them and you might have a chance of a broody. Hatchery ones are just red, some heritage strains do brood good but it depends on how they have been raised. You have to leave it up to her though might take some time. If she does hatch them herself she will protect them. My father raised RIR years ago and the moms are like pitbulls. Even his rooster helped father and protect the little ones in his large flock.
I have to warn you though most RIRs won't set. I had fifteen hatchery ones and had one go broody, sat for over a month, the eggs were rotten. I was told they might set but they won't do it right, the instinct has been bred out of them.

 

[rayki]

I'm not sure if these are the dark reds. I need to look up more information on them. My in-laws gave us them because they are moving and we have been contemplating chickens for egg purposes and for fertilizing our garden. They bought them about a year ago from a Amish community. So, if these are dark fantastic =) if not that's OK too. I will probably do the candling to check in about 2 weeks. If nothing I will remove the eggs so if they get broken bacteria won't build up if they crack.

 

[rayki]

One of the Hens have started nesting them =)