Breeding: Chickens
One day you might look at your flock of hens and think, “Wouldn’t it be nice to hatch some chicks?” Breeding chickens can be a rewarding extension of your self-sufficiency…
One day you might look at your flock of hens and think, “Wouldn’t it be nice to hatch some chicks?” Breeding chickens can be a rewarding extension of your self-sufficiency journey. It closes the loop by replenishing your flock naturally. There are two main ways to hatch new fluffballs: incubation (using an incubator) or letting a broody hen do the work. And of course, to get fertile eggs in the first place, you’ll need either a rooster or a source of fertile eggs from someone who has one.
Selecting Breeding Stock
Start with your best and brightest (literally and figuratively). Not every chicken should be bred. You want healthy, vigorous birds with good temperament and, if you’re breeding for eggs, hens that are reliable layers. Experienced breeders suggest using hens that are at least in their second year for hatching eggs. Older hens lay slightly larger eggs with more nutrients for the chick, leading to stronger offspring. Only breed birds that are free of defects and have never had serious illnesses or reproductive issues. If a hen has a history of problems (like prolapse or chronic respiratory disease), don’t pass those potential issues to the next generation. Similarly, if you have a rooster, choose one that is gentle with hens and healthy. A mean rooster might pass on mean genes. Nobody wants a flock of feathered jerks terrorizing the backyard.
Courtship or Sourcing Eggs
If you keep a rooster with your hens, congrats – you’ve got a self-contained egg factory. A single healthy rooster can handle 8-10 hens. Beyond that, fertility of each hen’s eggs may drop. Collect eggs you want to hatch over a week. Store them at room temperature, pointy end down, turning them daily. Then set them all at once so they hatch together. No rooster? No problem. You can buy fertile hatching eggs from local farms or online sources. This is a fun way to introduce new breeds. Just remember, hatching eggs not laid by your hens brings a slight risk of disease. Ensure the source flock is tested or NPIP certified free of common diseases.
Incubation
Modern technology to the rescue! A small incubator will mimic a mother hen by keeping eggs warm (around 99.5°F) and humid, and often by automatically turning them. Chicken eggs hatch in 21 days (give or take a day). Incubation is part science, part art. You’ll need to monitor temperature and humidity closely. Many incubators have built-in thermometers and hygrometers – double-check them for accuracy. For the first 18 days, eggs are turned regularly. Most incubators do this; if not, you’ll turn them 3-5 times a day by hand. This really makes you appreciate broody hens. Turning prevents the embryo from sticking to the shell and assures proper development.
Around day 18, you stop turning. This is lock-down. Bump up the humidity to help chicks hatch without getting stuck in a dry shell. Then do not open the incubator unless absolutely necessary until hatching is done. The chicks will internally pip (poke into the air cell) then externally pip (a little beak punches through the shell). It can take a chick a full day from pip to fully hatch, so channel your inner zen monk and let them do their thing. Watching chicks emerge is magical – slightly nerve-wracking, often messy, but magical. Keep a towel over the incubator if the suspense is killing you and you’re tempted to intervene too early. It’s like not opening the oven door on a soufflé – patience!
Broody Hen
Some chicken breeds (looking at you, Silkies and Orpingtons) tend to go broody. This means a hen decides she wants to hatch eggs and sits on a nest relentlessly. She will puff up and glare at anyone who comes near. If you’ve got a broody and you want chicks, let her be the incubator! It’s less work for you. She’ll also raise the chicks too – nature’s ultimate DIY project. To use a broody, place a clutch of fertile eggs under her (usually 8-12 eggs, depending on her size) and mark the calendar for 21 days. It’s wise to move the broody to a private, safe area. This could be a sectioned-off part of the coop or a dog crate. Moving her ensures other hens don’t disturb her or add new eggs to the pile. Provide food and water nearby so she can take brief breaks. A dedicated broody will only get up maybe once a day to quickly eat, drink, and poop (broody poops, by the way, are enormous and smelly – one of a kind). She will handle turning the eggs and keeping them warm and humid. Come hatch day, she’ll care for the chicks. No heat lamp needed, she’s got that covered.
Chick Rearing
Whether by incubator or broody, once chicks hatch, they need a warm, safe environment. Incubator chicks will move to a brooder – a secure box or tub with a heat source. A heat lamp works but must be used carefully to avoid fires. Many folks now use safer radiant heat plates (mimicking a mother hen’s warmth). Start the brooder at about 95°F and lower the temperature ~5°F each week as chicks feather out. They’ll also need a waterer (with marbles or rocks in it initially so they don’t fall in and drown – chicks aren’t too bright about water) and a feeder with high-protein chick starter feed. If raised by a broody hen, the hen will keep them warm and show them how to eat and drink. Just ensure chick-friendly food and water are accessible.
From hatch to adulthood takes about 5-6 months for most breeds. This is when pullets start laying and young roosters start channeling their inner tenor with awkward crowing. As they grow, you can gradually integrate them to the adult flock. If raised by a hen, she’ll do this for you when she’s ready to bring them around. Selecting keepers: If you hatched a dozen fluff-balls, brace yourself – roughly half might be roosters. Straight-run eggs have a 50/50 chance. Have a plan for extra roosters: re-homing, raising for meat, or a bachelor coop are common solutions. Keep your best young rooster if you want one for breeding. Only keep as many as your flock and local noise ordinance can tolerate. Too many roosters = stressed hens and fights.
Breeding chickens can be addictive. One day you’re candling eggs (using a bright light to peek at embryo development) with childlike excitement. The next you’re contemplating building a second coop because you just have to hatch those rare breed eggs you found online. Go for it, but do so responsibly. Maintain bio-security when swapping hatching eggs or birds with others. Also, avoid inbreeding by occasionally introducing new blood. You don’t want a flock of three-eyed chickens – unless you’re going for a sci-fi theme. Keep records of which chicks came from which hens and roosters if you’re aiming to improve specific traits. Backyard breeding can even contribute to conserving heritage breeds.
Above all, enjoy the miracle of life in your backyard. Few things are as joyful as watching a mother hen teaching her chicks to scratch and peck. Hearing the tiny cheeps of chicks following “Mama Cluck” around the run is heartwarming. Whether you manage it with thermostats and spreadsheets or with a Zen broody hen, breeding chickens adds a whole new dimension to your self-sufficient flock. It’s a dimension that’s well worth the effort.
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