What do I do?

[love67742]

So next door my grandpa has a Rooster and a hen. The hen lays eggs, then soon after, eats them. I was thinking about getting an incubator and hatching one or two, but I don't have a coop. My idea was to keep it in a box while it's small, and then put it in a fence with a old dog house and cover it up at night. Just until I get a coop for them.
And if so, how many chicks does there have to be? Can I just hatch one, or does it have to be two or more?

 

[Rose Quartz]

So next door my grandpa has a Rooster and a hen. The hen lays eggs, then soon after, eats them. I was thinking about getting an incubator and hatching one or two, but I don't have a coop. My idea was to keep it in a box while it's small, and then put it in a fence with a old dog house and cover it up at night. Just until I get a coop for them.
And if so, how many chicks does there have to be? Can I just hatch one, or does it have to be two or more?

Chickens are flock animals they need friends. You want to be sure what ever they are living in is secure from predators. That includes rats when theyre young. They can squeeze through really small holes.

 

[azygous]

More than one, for sure. But I'm afraid you've only just begun to think this thing through to discover everything it entails to brood chicks, care for them and keep them safe.

A long time ago, when I was a child, we visited my uncles huge chicken farm where he raised meat birds. We were so taken with the baby chicks he gave us a few to take home. I remember well not knowing or even thinking about what came after bringing chicks home.

My dad threw together a rough coop for them, more like a rough hutch on the ground, and we installed the chicks with the feed my uncle sent home with is. The short story has a quick very expected ending. In the morning, there were no chicks. A weasel had gotten into the coop and eaten them.

BYC has lots of information about how to get started with chicks and what you need to do to provide for them. I recommend starting reading, and then ask questions.

 

[chickens really]

Hello...I wouldn't even bother..Build a Coop and Run and go get yourself a few Chicks...

 

[TK421]

You might start with reading how to break her habit of egg eating. If you can do that then you’ll have lots of time to learn about all the other phases of chicken rearing and get a coop ready before you try to incubate eggs. You can definitely do it but start with the easier,less finicky steps.