Do you know how many days a chicken incubates eggs?

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

With the onset of spring, people involved in raising poultry have a lot of new troubles. After all, it is better for the chicken to sit on the eggs in April: this month there are already quite a few warm days, but the heat is still far away. If the chicks appear in May, it will not be difficult to keep them: the first weeks, of course, they will need additional heating and lighting, but as soon as they grow up a little, it will already be warm outside for walking.

Beginning farmers are most interested in the question of how many days a chicken incubates eggs. This information must be known in order to optimally determine the time at which it is better to bookmark offspring. Of course, the ideal option would be if the nesting instinct manifests itself in the mother hen, and she sits on the eggs herself. It manifests itself quite noticeably: the bird becomes nervous, but at the same time it can sit in the nest for a long time. If the chicken has stopped laying eggs, has lost weight, her earrings and comb have shrunk, and her belly has become exposed, you have a hen.

Try to put her in a laid out nest, and you will learn from your own experience how many days a hen incubates eggs. This method of obtaining chicks is considered ideal, because it does not require any outside intervention. The chicken will not only warm the eggs for 21 days, but will also help the chickens to be born, take care of them, feed them.

If possible, it is better to use only proven hens. Sometimes it’s not enough just to know how many days a chicken incubates eggs. Some juveniles may show nesting instinct, but their patience may only last 2-3 days. To check the hen, you can put ordinary eggs or wooden dummies under it. If she sits quietly for several days, does not jump up and cackle when a person comes to her, then she is suitable. Otherwise, it is better to look for another mother for chickens.

If none of the hens show much desire to incubate eggs, you can try to get them to do it. To do this, you will need a prepared nest and a slotted box. Having seated the chicken, cover it: the bird, usually sitting for 3-4 days, begins to show the nesting instinct, and already voluntarily agrees to become a hen. Do not be afraid that she will leave the chickens that have not yet hatched ahead of time, because she herself does not know how many days the chicken hatches eggs. The mother hen will keep them warm until they hatch into the light themselves. When they appear, the chicken can be assigned to take care of other chickens that have been hatched in the incubator.

Whenchoosing individuals for incubation is of considerable importance and what types of chickens you choose. Local outbreds are considered the best mothers; meat and egg breeds are also suitable. Don't be afraid to put eggs from other poultry under them: they will sit on ducks, gooses, and turkeys.

But breeding chickens in an incubator is much more difficult. If a hen sits on the eggs, then the main thing is to feed her, she will worry about the offspring herself. In the incubator, you will not only have to turn the eggs daily, but also monitor the temperature and humidity. At the same time, it is important to provide warmth for the first days and short-term access to cooler air after 11 days of incubation. Note that ventilation should be strictly metered, and the time for warming up the eggs after cooling should be reduced to a minimum. It is also important not to overheat them - this can cause death or deformity of the chickens.