If I hatced ou a chick from an egg, what is the best way to look after a chicken?

Question

I read somewhere that if you keep organic free range eggs in your airing cupboard/ wram space, they could hatch out. I would like to do this and have chicken as pets, but what is the best way to look after them, feed them etc.....

Answer 1

Sorry your plan isn't very likely to work. Why? Because hatching chicks takes a lot more then keeping the eggs warm. You also have to have the right temperature, humidity and turn the eggs properly. The simple way to have chicks is to buy them with a hen but if you don't wish to do this or if it is not avalible you can use an incubator. If you don't feel like purchasing an incubator you can make one.

A Few websites on making incubators-
http://members.aol.com/CGFARMS/buildincubator.html
http://www.downsizer.net/Projects/Raising_livestock/Building_your_own_incubator/

If you don’t mind buying your own incubator-
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/category/incubators_parts.html (This is for if you live in America, If you also feel like buying day old chicks you can order them from this site.)

Once you get your incubator you need to get fertile eggs that are good for incubation. These eggs consist of eggs that
Have never been washed- Egg shells are permeable so if you are planning to hatch them washing should not be done. If it is the eggs will suck in bacterium that could kill the chicks.
Are not older then 10 days- any eggs that are older have very low if not nothing expectancy rate. Also chicks that hatch out of older eggs are more likely to be lame.
Not kept below 40 degrees at any time- Temperatures that low cause the eggs membrane to die.
Not kept above 70 degrees at any long period of time- this will cause the chick to start to develop which you don’t want them to do until they are in the incubator.

Incubating eggs

Temperature- your temp in the incubator should be about 100 degrees. This temp needs to be constant the whole time that your eggs are being incubated. Do not overheat. Overheating can kill the embryo very quickly. You should let your temp be under 99 degrees and over 103 degrees. Even if you stay in between those temps keep it steady.

Humidity- this is another thing that needs to be constant. Humidity should be 50-55 percent and it should be raised to 63 percent when hatching time arrives. To find out the humidity you can use a wet bulb thermometer. Commonly chicks that hatch early were exposed to high of a humidity rate it is the opposite effect for chicks that are exposed to low humidity.

Web bulb thermometers can be expensive if you wish to make your own go to
http://www.tifton.uga.edu/tobacco/wetbulb.htm

Turning the egg- you turn the eggs 3 times a day until the last 3 days. One the last three days you leave them still.

How long should it take- Chicks hatch at day 21 but can hatch out anywhere from day 18-24. If you are waiting till day 28 you are not hatching chickens or you are incubating duds.

Marking eggs- If you plan on marking eggs to keep track of time or turning use a lead pencil. Markers will soak into the shell and possably harm the chick.


What to do with chicks-

Feed- Buy good quality chick starter at a grain shop.
Water- you will need to buy a chick waterier so that the chicks don’t drown. First three days of life add 1 Tablespoon sugar per gallon of water.
Brooder (What you keep the chicks in)- Should be able to hold chicks and keep them from getting hurt.
Flooring- Stay away from slippery flooring it can cause chicks to fall and get leg problems such as straddle legged. Also stay away from powder sawdust young chicks can eat it and get sick.
Temp- Keep temp at 90 degrees for the first week. After that go down 5 degrees till you get to 75 degrees. Afterwards the chicks should be able to live outside unless it is to cold.
Lighting- Use a red light bulb over a white one. This will stop the chicks from pecking too much at one another. Other ways to stop chicks from tearing each other up is to put grass or straw in the cage and offer enough space near feeding places.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Don't assume that organic free-range eggs are fertile: most of them are not. Hens only lay fertile eggs when they have been mated with a c*ck, and most free-range flocks are single-sex: just hens.

Next point: the temperature in your airing cupboard won't be constant enough to hatch eggs successfully; even if the eggs are fertile the chicks would probably die, either of too much heat or of cold. And you would have to turn the eggs over several times a day.

If you're serious about keeping chickens the best thing to do is to ask around for a broody hen (in England) or a clocker (in Scotland - same thing) and a sitting of eggs. The hen knows all about keeping the eggs at the right temperature and turning them over, and she'll look after the chicks when they're hatched.

You´ll need to make a comfortable nest of straw for the hen, and make sure she can get out to sh*t. Broody hens do big smelly sh*ts but not very often; don't worry if she goes 2 or 3 days without doing one.

While the hen is sitting (eggs take 3 weeks to hatch) give her wheat ad. lib. and make sure she has clean water. When the chicks hatch, change the feed to chick pellets and make sure the water container isn't deep enough for them to drown.

Finally, remember that on average only half the chicks will be potential egg-layers; the rest will be male, so you'll have to be prepared to kill and eat them - or else give them away; poultry keeping isn't recommended for the squeamish!

Do email me if you want any more specific advice, and good luck!

Answer 3

Most chicken eggs are not fertile. You'd have to make sure that there was a rooster in with the hens. They need a moist warm enviroment to hatch. It takes about 28 days. chickens are hatched out pretty self sufficient. They know how to eat, how to drink. I keep mine in a big dog kennel until they are ready to go out to the yard. I feed chick starter and clean grass. Once they are a little grown and fully feathered, they're out with the other chickens.

Answer 4

I would let the chickens do the chikie daycare thing. First of all, you need an incubator to hatch eggs, and you need to know that they are fertalized before you try to hatch them. Otherwise you get yucky rotten eggs. So...chill out. A mama chicken is better at taking care of biddies than a person who doesn't know anything about it.

If you're determined, buy a book. Go to your local co-op and there should be plenty of information on raising chicks from scratch.

Don't stick them in the oven.

Answer 5

I dont believe its as easy as buying an egg and hatching it...

you need to take the time to read up on this. You need to get a hen hutch and run the proper feed and also realise the mess and smell they leave behind they are alot of work and also very mess animals... But best of luck with this and I hope you look into it first before jumping the gun as they are costy and needy...

Answer 6

when I was a child my dad would buy a dozen newly hatched chickens only 2 or 3 would survive

Answer 7

you will need to feed young chicks on layers mash witch you can get from farm shops it looks like grey dust.the egg would have to have been fetilized before it could be hatched though

Answer 8

I'm sorry but that doesn't like a true story. You should ask your local farmer if there is one close to you for a fertilised egg there is a way you can check if they're fertilised read this

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuXaPIaESDrzZc05W_6Hu6wjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20070504182837AATwLq4


http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjZRHNS1SUah1yKy9F_uPEYjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20070417214737AAmUnSc

Answer 9

I don't think that will work. Maybe you buy a bird from a pet store.

Answer 10

With-out reading all those long winded e-mails forget it you can't do it! get yourself a book on poultry rearing from your local library and read it ,before you go there.