New to Hatching Eggs

[Bigtom Turkey]

The Brahma might go for it. Worth a try.

 

[Spicegirlfam]

The Brahma might go for it. Worth a try.

ok thanks, also is there a certain breed that hatches better? And in your opinion what breed should I hatch?

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

All chickes hatch pretty good, However, since the Brahma is so big I would not hatch bantams.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Oh and don't buy hatching eggs till after she has been sitting for at least 10 days.

 

[RollTideChicken]

As it sounds like this is your first try at hatching, regardless of which path you take, don't have high expectations. Broody hens are a great option but some hens will just stop sitting. Incubators are also a great option but require some experience to get good results. I prefer an incubator, but it took 4 hatches before I got above a 50% hatch rate. The last hatch I got 100%, if you don't count the infertile eggs. Just remember hatching eggs, on average, produce 50% roos...have a plan and happy hatching!

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Have a backup plan for your roosters. This is a must. If you don't have a plan and don't think you can handle a cull, you shouldn't hatch your own in my opinion.

I've done two hatches with a broody mama and she was wonderful, but you can't plan to use a broody. The broody does the planning and you're just along for the ride!

I'd plan for an incubator hatch, and then if a hen goes broody, use her instead and keep the bator for a backup incase she quits or something goes wrong.

 

[MissMonty]

So I have been doing a lot of research into incubation and honestly it can be a bit pricey to get started.

So let me get into some things to think about. How many chickens are you looking to end up with? If you just are wanting a couple then it may be more economical to just buy some chicks.

When you incubate you're going to get "straight run" meaning you won't know how many roos or hens you'll end up with so you'll have to deal with that and you'll have the incubator cost which the one I just bought was a little less than $150 to get all the supplies. So if you're only looking to get maybe 5 more hens in your flock its a lot of expense and time you'll have to put into it.

If you plan on incubating more in the future then heck yeah I say go for it. For us we decided to take the plunge when we decided to start breeding rare breeds. So we will be hatching babies out often, so the incubator and everything will pay for itself over time.

 

[Spicegirlfam]

Thanks you all for your input!

I can afford the incubator, but it seems like It would help me more if I were experienced. So I think I'm going to go with hatching them with a broody hen.

Do most chickens have a higher chance of getting broody in spring? What are your guys plan when you get roos? I am thinking about keeping 1 rooster.

I am planing on hatching 3 eggs (2 - 3 hens, 1 rooster or none). Hatching with hens will help the upbringing of the chickens since they will protect them from getting bullied. That way I don't have to worry about them getting pecked to death or having another coop to start them in. But I am still open to buying chicks instead of hatching.

 

[Spicegirlfam]

All chickes hatch pretty good, However, since the Brahma is so big I would not hatch bantams.

thanks, I do not plan on hatching bantams anyway

 

[Spicegirlfam]

Have a backup plan for your roosters. This is a must. If you don't have a plan and don't think you can handle a cull, you shouldn't hatch your own in my opinion.

I've done two hatches with a broody mama and she was wonderful, but you can't plan to use a broody. The broody does the planning and you're just along for the ride!

I'd plan for an incubator hatch, and then if a hen goes broody, use her instead and keep the bator for a backup incase she quits or something goes wrong.

what is your plan?