Possibly breeding some chickens for the first time, some questions.

[1maria100]

Back in April I bought 4 baby chicks. 2 Americana, and 2 Barred Rock. It turned out we had two roosters so we sold the Americana. About 4 days ago I bought 2 Rhode Island Red hens, both about a year old. One hen gave me 2 eggs the first day I had her, and then another egg 2 days later. The other hen gave me one egg today. Then hen that has given me 3 eggs is very broody, and she is a very pretty hen too. I have a fake egg in the nesting box and she is constantly sitting on it. I've heard of RIR and BR being crossed before, I think they call them Red Rocks, and I would love to breed my BR Rooster and RIR Hen. I have seen them mating a few times, but I don't think there are any fertilized eggs yet. I don't want to spend the money on a incubator, and the hen would make a great mamma so I'm thinking I'm gonna let her naturally hatch her eggs. I want to raise the chicks for either 4-H or FFA and sell them next spring.

So here are my questions:
-Should I breed them?
-What am I supposed to do when letting the hen sit on the eggs?
-How do I tell if the eggs are fertilized?
-When the chicks hatch do I need to get chick feed and grit for them or can they have what the full grown chickens have?
-Any other important things to know before hatching?

I live in Eastern Washington so its normally about 80-90 in the summertime.

Thanks guys!

 

[kidcody]

hens really know what to do when it comes to hatching. Of course they don't know if there eggs are fertilized! but you could crack one of there eggs open and see if they are. Or just let her sit on them for 21 days and see what happens

baby chicks need chick starter, they don't need grit right away because chick starter is already broke down for them

Before the chicks hatch (under the hen) you will need to make sure the other hens can't get to them sometimes they attack little chicks

as long as you have shade for them they should be just fine

good luck