New Chickens and Eggs* Need HELP

[lilsouthern228]

Ok ill admit, im very new to having chickens. We jus got 4 hens and 1 rooster. Well last night one or more of the hens laid 2 eggs! i got so excited when i went outside and saw the eggs. Well anyway, i was wondering, when the eggs hatch, do we jus let the hens raise the chicks? or is there anything special we need to do or build for them in the coop. The eggs were laid last night so i have about 3 weeks till they hatch right? so i need some help quick! Im clueless!

thanks

 

[mdbucks]

Do you have a broody hen or inqubator?
If you answer no to both then you need to eat the eggs, because ohterwise in 3 weeks you will have three week old eggs, and nothing else.

 

[lilsouthern228]

i have no idea! lol i live with a friend whose mom wanted chickens, and it seemed like i was the one having to do all the work for her chickens! lol all i know is i went in to the coop, that i built!, and there was two eggs in the little nest she make made out of the hay we put down. but we dont have an incubator, but i dont knwo what a broody hen is? lol i feel so dumb

 

[lilsouthern228]

ok i jus looked up a what a broody hen is. how do i know if she is one? go see if she's on the egg?

 

[Frozen Feathers]

A broody hen is a hen who wants to sit on eggs and hatch them.
If she guards them, puffs up at you when you try to take the eggs, or starts squawking when you take them, you probably have a broody.

Some breeds of chickens never go broody, meaning they have no interest in hatching out eggs and some seem to be forever broody.

 

[arlee453]

What breed are your chickens? Some breeds will sit on their eggs and hatch them, others don't at all (or very rarely) and some do as the whim hits.

If you're not sure, post pictures here if you can and I'm sure the wise chicken eggs-perts here can help you figure it out.

Welcome to the chicken world - it's addicting, I'll warn you!

 

[ZuniBee]

Congratulations on your eggs! I know you are excited.

When a chicken lays an egg it doesn't mean you will get chicks from said egg. You either have to have a broody hen that sits on the eggs for the entire time or you have to put them in an incubator. Either way the temperature has to be right for the chicks to grow.

If you have a broody hen she will be on the eggs constantly. If she leaves the eggs in the nest and wanders off then you don't have a broody hen and you have to either put them in an incubator or eat them.

They won't just hatch on their own. Hope that helps.

 

[lilsouthern228]

ok well i went outside and there is no hen sitting on the eggs, so i guess i dont have a broody. i went up close to the egg and the hens didnt seems to acknowledge me. im not sure of the breed. 2 of the hens are brownish in color and 2 of the hens look like a checker board and i dont know which one laid the eggs. its a white egg.
if i dont have a broody, whats the best inqubator to use if im not looking to spend a lot of money.

 

[lilsouthern228]

ok here is my rooster. sorry the picture is small

this is one of the breeds that i have

and this is the other

here is a picture of my dog, just for smiles

i hope these show up, i dont know if i uploaded them correctly

 

[mdbucks]

where are you, are you sure you want to hatch eggs now, do you want to start with CHICKS this time of year? do yo have the warm facilities, to raise them in if in the north?