which way is the easy way

[L*A*G*]

I only have RIRs and I want to see for my first time a hen raise chicks the "ALL NATRUAL WAY!!!" Is it too defficult? Do I need to switch breed? About how many eggs till they set? About how many
eggs hatch? How do they do with the chicks? I do need to seperate
mom and the chicks from the rest right? Do the chicks need to go to the brooder even in warm weather?

Put me on track, Larra

 

[BirdBoy88]

It's not hard...for me anyway

when i want a hen to raise her own chicks this is what i do....

First make sure you have a rooster for her....and the nest she is laying her egg in leave it alone.. let her lay her eggs in that nest before you know it she will have from 8 to 10 eggs

and 4 out of 5 times she will set and incubate them

now if you have your chickens all in a pen together then yes it's best to put her in another area with a rooster because other hens will continue to lay there eggs in her nest even if she decided to set on the eggs the other hens will still lay there eggs in her nest and if any of the eggs hatch the other hens may kill the chicks so it's best to remove her to her own area if she's in a pen.... most of my chickens free range so i don't need to separate a hen with her chicks because they have the whole backyard lots of space

when a hen sets on her eggs most the time they all hatch but sometimes there might be a few that wont hatch the mother hen will protect her chicks she wont let anyone or anything near them she will walk around with her chicks teaching them how to feed and finding food for them every night she will go back to her nest with her chicks and they will sleep there if it's warm weather during the whole process then no i wouldn't put the chicks in a brooder but if it's cold out then yest it's best you take care of the chicks and put them indoors in a brooder where it's warm

i hope this helps

 

[alalele]

I don't know much about RIR's... but some Hen breeds are more Broody than others... RIR DO definately go broody though.

Look up on Youtube for broody hens... broody RIR's, etc... you will see video's of how a broody hen will act... and they don't want to get off the nest... or let you get the eggs... you can't Make a hen go broody.

Since my 2 young hens have never gone broody (they are only 7 mths old), can't answer the other questions.. If you are like me and can't wait... you might want to try hatching some yourself.