Q&A for How to Breed Chickens

It depends. As they get older they may start getting aggressive with each other, even if they are brothers. Typically you want about a dozen hens per rooster to keep the peace (so they each have their own little harem), and even then there's no guarantee. But they may just be low-key fellows and never fight each other. Keep an eye on them; sometimes the first fight is a fatal one. It's also possible to keep two roosters together in their own bachelor pad, because without girls to fight over they are much more likely to stay friendly.

If she gets up to eat, drink, and go to the toilet, it's perfectly normal. As long as she completes the 21 days of incubation, this would not be a problem.

There is no set time period for when a flock starts to breed. Usually when the weather gets warmer and the chickens have nesting boxes, they will be encouraged to have baby chicks.

Fertile eggs can be stored up to a week. After then their hatch rate will go down. It's best to add eggs to the incubator all at the same time so that they hatch on the same day.

Let them do it naturally. If they don't sit in the nest after a while, try putting them in the nest box and let them observe the eggs a bit more. If they still don't sit on them, gently get them into a lying down position on top of the eggs and very gently hold them down. After a while, let go and see if the hen stays in that position. If she does, slowly go away and make it look like you're out of sight, but you can really still see the hen. If she is still like that after a few minutes, she might be fully ready to incubate her eggs.

Chickens are ready to mate at about 6 months of age. Some breeds take longer but that is the average.

You're on the right track! Scientific studies have proven that female chicks are from rounded eggs whilst male chicks are from pointed eggs.

Inbreeding is where the chickens being mated are related, such as a brother and a sister. Inbreeding can cause severe problems for the chicks, including a weak immune system. Don't inbreed as it will be unfair on the chick; it will have a higher chance of dying.

It isn't required for you to separate the rooster unless you want to stop any more potential breeding. The rooster will protect the hens from predators and will help raise the chicks. If you cannot house any more chicks, it's advised that you separate.

Leave it! If you open the incubator then there might not be a chance for other chicks to hatch.

You will have to train the rooster to perch by placing him on the roost every night. If he continues to get off, place him on the roost when it's dark out and he's asleep. Chickens cannot see in the dark so they will not move from the position they have been placed in.

You can eat any eggs, even if they've been fertilized. As long as they haven't been incubated (kept too warm) you won't really be able to tell that an egg has been fertilized by a rooster, and it's good eating. If you've been gathering eggs and keeping them to hatch, they'll still be hatchable for up to a couple of weeks after you've gathered them, and will all start developing at the same rate once you start incubation (either in an incubator or under a broody hen). If you're unsure if the eggs you're incubating are fertilized, incubate them for a week then candle them to be sure there's a baby growing inside, then just chuck any that aren't going to hatch.

The general rule is 3 hens for every one rooster with the maximum being 6 hens per rooster, so I would get a few more roosters for 100 hens.

Chickens can be kept nearly anywhere as long as their needs are adequately met, so yes.

It can vary, but generally, after two years of laying, they will have finished their cycle.

No, this results in weak chicks.

You cannot force a hen to become broody, and you cannot let eggs collect dust in hope of a hen to come sit on them. It's best to remove the eggs until you can visibly see that one of your hens is starting a clutch and sitting on them. To encourage your chicken to sit on her eggs, put a few fake eggs in the nest in hope that the hen is satisfied with a clutch.

First, fighting is inevitable as they need to find a pecking order. If you want a smoother introduction, have two pens where they can come up to the mesh and see each other. This will assist in the introduction process. When it's nighttime, you want to take the new ones and move them into the coop with the others while they're sleeping; this gets them used to the smell of the others. Eventually, this will allow the two groups to become one.

They can be bought at pet stores or online, so you should not attempt to make your own.

The hen will lay fertile eggs one week after mating. It can take her 1 - 2 weeks to develop a clutch before moving into the incubation period, then another 21 days for the eggs to hatch. Breeding is a steady process, so it's important to remain patient.

It is their nature to mate so if he is not, you should to take him to a vet to see what the cause is.

You should try breeding your chickens in the spring, but they can be bred all throughout the year.

Spraddle legs is a common deficiency in newly-hatched chicks, often caused by an array of factors to do with the incubation period and brooder conditions. This deficiency can become permanent if left untreated, but is fairly easy to correct. The most effective way to correct this issue is by making a temporary brace for your chicks to align the legs correctly.

It's advisable to keep young children out of contact of poultry, as they can potentially carry harmful diseases, or young children can potentially harm/scare the chicks. Otherwise, chicks do not pose a large risk.

You don't, but you may want to check local laws and regulations on keeping backyard chickens.

Yes, the large end indicates the bottom where it's rounder and easier to sit on. Eggs are not perfect circles, and you should notice that it naturally points upwards.

It takes hens about 1 - 2 weeks after mating to start laying fertile eggs and gather a full clutch to incubate. You typically want eggs that are less than seven days old, as after day seven their hatch rate reduces, and at two weeks drops to 50%.

If by 'breeding house' you mean brooder, then yes. Chicks that are under the age of 6 weeks old require artificial heat to keep them warm. Chicks that huddle close together are exhibiting symptoms of the brooder being too cold.

Some hens will sit on as few as two eggs at a time, while others will wait until they have a clutch of up to sixteen eggs. There's really no rule of thumb. However, to ensure a successful hatch rate, keep the clutch small: about four to eight eggs per hen.

The only way to tell is to crack one egg out of a clutch before you start incubating them. You should notice a small, white circle that resembles a 'bullseye' if the egg is fertile. Otherwise, you can begin to incubate a clutch of eggs and check on their progress by candling them after four days. By candling the egg, you should see a dark spot and veins form.