Why aren’t the eggs being sat on?

[BarNRanch]

There are at least two now laying eggs. I read they have to have a bunch before the sit on them. We got the first egg outside the coop 10 days ago. One a day until yesterday. Any pointers?

 

[SilverBirds]

Reasons they are not going broody:

1. Looks like you have production birds, which aren't known to go broody often.
2. How old are they? They might be to young to go broody yet.
3. Hens aren't very likely to go broody in the winter. They're more likely to go broody in the spring or summer.

I doubt you'll get any sitters right now. If you're really keen on hatching chicks now, would you be willing to incubate them yourself?

 

[BarNRanch]

Reasons they are not going broody:

1. Looks like you have production birds, which aren't known to go broody often.
2. How old are they? They might be to young to go broody yet.
3. Hens aren't very likely to go broody in the winter. They're more likely to go broody in the spring or summer.

I doubt you'll get any sitters right now. If you're really keen on hatching chicks now, would you be willing to incubate them yourself?

Yes, I will go to tractor supply in the morning. Would these eggs be viable? Rocky is 6 months and the hens are 5.

Do I check for growth with a light, scrap this batch or put them in the fridge for breakfast? Or put them all in the incubator and wait and see?

 

[SilverBirds]

Yes, I will go to tractor supply in the morning. Would these eggs be viable? Rocky is 6 months and the hens are 5.

Do I check for growth with a light, scrap this batch or put them in the fridge for breakfast? Or put them all in the incubator and wait and see?

There won't be any growth. But when you are incubating, yes, you do check development with a light. Personally, I'd wait until next year to hatch with their eggs, but if you really want to now you can try and stick some of the eggs in the incubator.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They don't sit unless they have the right hormones. Poultry lay every day (on average), they aren't seasonal like other species

 

[BarNRanch]

There won't be any growth. But when you are incubating, yes, you do check development with a light. Personally, I'd wait until next year to hatch with their eggs, but if you really want to now you can try and stick some of the eggs in the incubator.

There won't be any growth. But when you are incubating, yes, you do check development with a light. Personally, I'd wait until next year to hatch with their eggs, but if you really want to now you can try and stick some of the eggs in the incubator.

Attempting to add a video.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, I will go to tractor supply in the morning. Would these eggs be viable? Rocky is 6 months and the hens are 5.

Do I check for growth with a light, scrap this batch or put them in the fridge for breakfast? Or put them all in the incubator and wait and see?

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters.

It's usually not recommended to hatch pullets' early eggs. They may take a couple months to get their reproductive system into good order.

Is it fall or spring in your area?

Would you be raising the chicks in warm weather or cold weather?

It's not that you *can't* hatch pullet eggs or that you *can't* raise chicks in the winter, but it's setting up for potential problems.

 

[BarNRanch]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters.

It's usually not recommended to hatch pullets' early eggs. They may take a couple months to get their reproductive system into good order.

Is it fall or spring in your area?

Would you be raising the chicks in warm weather or cold weather?

It's not that you *can't* hatch pullet eggs or that you *can't* raise chicks in the winter, but it's setting up for potential problems.

Thanks for that important bit of information. We are in Northwest MS, just south of Memphis, TN. Definitely fall weather, 55-75 average.

 

[jus10inla]

Id hold off incubation til the girls have been laying for couple months

 

[3KillerBs]

Thanks for that important bit of information. We are in Northwest MS, just south of Memphis, TN. Definitely fall weather, 55-75 average.

If you put your general location into your profile people can give better-targeted advice when climate matters.

Here are a couple useful articles on incubating eggs:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-beginners-guide-to-incubation.73350/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/a-simple-guide-to-hatching-chicken-eggs.74574/