need info on hatching eggs

[elvallot]

I need some info on hatching eggs? I would like to have a hen set on the nest. I have delawares and have been told that they can be broody. should the nesting hen and eggs be seperated? What is opinion on hen vs artificial hatching- don't have a lot of money to spend on this but would like to have some chicks before the cool weather sets in. I live in LA.

thanks in advance.

 

[SkyWarrior]

There's no way to "train" a hen to be broody-- she either is or isn't. Many people separate the broody from the others when she sets. Again, it depends if she ends up broody.

Most people will tell you that a broody hen is the best thing for hatching eggs, but given that many hens are not broody and many things can go wrong, even if she is, many of us rely on artificial incubators. You can build an incubator using plans here and online, or buy one. Pros and cons with that -- namely egg turning, humidity, and temperature monitoring. There are some sophisticated incubators that work well, but they are more expensive.

The incubator I splurged on cost $119 on special and every chick hatched today. I've used cheaper hovabators and had anywhere from 1/4 to no hatches.

YMMV.

Good luck.