Which do you think is better?

[Chicken Cluck]

Is it better to incubate the eggs or to let my chicken sit on them?

 

[Mahonri]

If your hen is by herself, safe and won't be bothered by other chickens then I'd say she is best.

If the opposite is true... in a coop full of hens where she can be bothered or she is outside and subject to predators like cats, dogs and skunks or other vermin then it's best to us a bator.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, I prefer a broody, but not all chickens have the desire to hatch eggs. In fact, of my 40-something layers, I've only had three of them ever go broody. You cant force it since it's hormonal, but if you get a broody, she'll do the work for you, no worries about power outages.

 

[Chicken Cluck]

Oh, ok! Thank you!

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

I think if you have a broody, that would always be best if she has a quiet safe place.

Chickens have lost broodiness specifically because most are hatched in incubators, and chicks never experience "mothering"

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Chickens have lost broodiness specifically because most are hatched in incubators, and chicks never experience "mothering"

Sorry, I don't agree. Broodiness is more likely breed specific. The "super egg layers" have had broodiness bred out of them. If they are broody, egg production is down. Many of the older heritage breeds lay less but are more likely to go/be broody. I have 6 Barnevelders that come from Ideal, they weren't mothered, but 3 have gone broody. Three Gold Comets, super egg layers, "mothered" by a mutt broody hen, none have gone broody and I will be very surprised if any do.​

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

Quote:
Sorry, I don't agree. Broodiness is more likely breed specific. The "super egg layers" have had broodiness bred out of them. If they are broody, egg production is down. Many of the older heritage breeds lay less but are more likely to go/be broody. I have 6 Barnevelders that come from Ideal, they weren't mothered, but 3 have gone broody. Three Gold Comets, super egg layers, "mothered" by a mutt broody hen, none have gone broody and I will be very surprised if any do.

Well, I'm not suprised that someone disagrees. Some breeds are more broody than others. Some have had broodiness bred out of them. True. Artificial incubation has contributed to this also. Some of the hatchery quality heritage breeds are less likely to be be broody also. All breeds were cabable of brooding at one point. Where do you think chickens came from before incubators? If you still disagreee that artificial incubation has contributed, I will PM you the name of a textbook used to teach poultry science that states this.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

I will PM you the name of a textbook used to teach poultry science that states this.

CCMan - PM me. I would appreciate the name of that poultry textbook. Thanks!​

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

Quote:
CCMan - PM me. I would appreciate the name of that poultry textbook. Thanks!

you have a pm.