When can you plant a chicken on eggs. Good mother hen: we make the poultry sit on the eggs. How to make a chicken forcibly

In many modern egg-oriented chickens, the incubation instinct is suppressed due to the efforts of breeders. This approach allows you to strictly control the number of livestock and select best eggs for breeding young. But many breeds have retained natural qualities, which can complicate the life of a breeder. If a hen begins to cackle and is preparing to become a hen, then a number of measures must be taken to wean her from such behavior.

The need for a hen in a chicken coop is due to the goals of the poultry breeder himself and the characteristics of the breed. With natural breeding of birds, a calm hen can become an excellent mother, which saves the farmer from the need to incubate eggs and take care of the chickens around the clock.

To determine a suitable laying hen, you need to watch the hens for 1-2 days. It is best to incubate eggs calm individuals with a complaisant character. In other chickens, the incubation instinct is eliminated at the first manifestation. That is, the question of what to do if the chicken cackles cannot be answered unambiguously.

• When they plan to get an excellent hen from a bird and natural breeding coincides with the goals of the breeder, then such a chicken is planted on a nest with future young.
• If the laying hen is not prepared for imminent motherhood, but she begins to cackle, then drastic measures must be taken.

If a chicken sits on eggs, how to wean from it and what to do about it - the advice of experienced bird owners will help.

jigging

This is one of the most humane ways to wean a chicken from clucking. The method is recognized by veterinarians and scientists as one of the most effective.

For transplanting, you need a cage with a rib length of about 70 centimeters, that is, a large one so that the hen feels comfortable, but at the same time, her area of ​​\u200b\u200bactivity was limited. A chicken is planted there at the first sign of preparation for incubation.

You can determine that a bird wants to become a crocodile by the following signs:

• Active oviposition abruptly stopped;
• The hen plucks feathers in the abdomen and covers the nest with them;
• When a person approaches the hen, she begins to cackle and tries to run away;
• The bird tries to sit in the nest for a long time.

If any individual in the livestock has noticed such behavior, you need to do the following:

1. Put her in a cage immediately.
2. During the day, put the “prison” in the place of walking so that the chicken is constantly among other chickens. In the absence of a corral, put a temporary dwelling in a bright place, with good ventilation, but without drafts and hot sun.
3. At night, do not release the chicken to the rest of the brothers, but leave it on the floor in the chicken coop or in another place where the bird will be comfortable.
4. Such isolation is observed for 2-3 days, after which it is necessary to plant a rooster to the chicken. This allows you to accelerate the start of laying.
5. On the same day, at night, a couple can be released from the cage to perch.

Important! During the entire period of imprisonment, the chicken is well fed so that there is enough “building” material in her body for oviposition.

If the transplanting procedure was successful, then the result will be noticeable in the morning: the hen will go for a walk with the rest, will soon begin to lay eggs in the same mode, and will not sit in the nest for a long time. In the event that it was not possible to ward off the crocodile, you can try to extend the period of keeping in the cage, not forgetting the important point: so that the chicken does not sit on the egg, she should not see it.

The mere sight of eggs can provoke the development of maternal instinct. Therefore, to prevent constant clucking of layers, you need to check the nests more often and empty them.

Also, the chicken is protected from contact with chickens, as they will squeak, causing her desire to become a mother.

Folk methods

The methods used by the breeders of past centuries are less humane than slinging, but effective. Experienced poultry farmers know that the chicken forgets about the maternal instinct after being exposed to stressful conditions.

Such conditions are artificially created for the bird:

1. Cold water. When a bird wants to become a broody hen, its body temperature rises above normal as the eggs need to be warmed. If the chicken is poured with cold water or dipped in a basin, then a natural decrease in body temperature will occur and the laying hen will forget about her intentions.
2. Dungeon. Hens like sunlight, so if you put a bird in a dark, cool room, then she will give up her maternal intentions.
3. hunger strike. This method is one of the most cruel to the chicken. For 2–3 days, she is simply not given food and is not allowed to run freely. Such a hunger strike lasts until the bird stops clucking under stressful conditions. Then it is returned to the main livestock and the previous diet.

Why are they taking such strict measures to prevent the chicken from sitting on the eggs? Because the effectiveness of the methods has been tested by time, although there is a high percentage of cases when such methods turned against the breeder.

Dousing with cold water can provoke a disease in a chicken, and a prolonged hunger strike or keeping it in the basement negatively affects its nervous system. As a result, the bird not only stops clucking, stops laying eggs, but may also die.

Therefore, veterinarians advise trying to drive them out of the nest by depositing, and only if this method is ineffective, resort to more stringent measures.

Shock therapy

Some breeders suggest that less experienced colleagues give shock therapy to prevent the hen from sitting on the egg to hatch. But this technique is dangerous and is very stressful for the bird.

For shock therapy, a step-down transformer with clamps is required.

1. One clamp is placed on the comb of the chicken, and the second - on the tongue or on the paw.
2. Then a voltage of 12 volts is applied for 30 seconds.
3. After that, the chicken is released and the procedure is repeated after 30 minutes.

To wean a chicken from incubation, one must carefully monitor the livestock and not miss the moment when the chicken stops laying eggs and begins to cackle. At this time, it is easiest to suppress the maternal instinct. And also, do not resort to extreme measures without trying safe options.

When trying to expand the chicken family, many farmers are faced with such a problem as the reluctance of hens to incubate eggs. Unfortunately, the problem happens often, and some of the breeds, in principle, do not have a maternal instinct.

However, most kvochka can still be forced to breed chicks: we will learn how to plant a chicken on eggs from the article.

General points

On a small farm or in a private backyard, using a laying hen as an incubator is a popular, economical and quite convenient way. The bird is able to completely replace an artificial incubator: it will turn the eggs over so that they do not overheat, adjust the humidity in the nest, and it will be able to provide care for the chickens.

But even though a properly prepared and trained hen with a developed maternal instinct can be an excellent hen, on an industrial scale, we strongly recommend that you get an incubator. This will greatly facilitate the hassle of breeding offspring.

It is recommended to plant a chicken at home on eggs in the spring, since the warm summer period and the beginning of autumn are best suited for growing and growing chickens.

If there is a need to plant several hens, you need to start the hatching process at the same time. At the same time, place the nests at a distance from each other so that the birds do not confuse them and do not conflict with each other on this basis.

How to choose a mother hen?

If there is a need for a live incubator, the first step is to find a suitable hen for this purpose. It is necessary for some time to observe the available population of birds suitable for incubation and choose those that are most suitable.

In a chicken with an awakened maternal instinct, behavior differs from other individuals:

• she tries to sit in the nest for a long time, reluctantly leaving it;
• the bird cackles anxiously;
• the hen will also pluck out her feathers in order to build a nest.

In addition, according to farmers, the best hens are birds aged two to four years. And the comb of a bird ready for incubation changes slightly in color, becoming pale pink.

The appetite of such an individual is reduced, so sometimes it is necessary to feed the future hen almost by force: otherwise, the bird can lose a lot of weight.

The mother hen can also be identified by the following sign: the bird is looking for the most secluded and dark corners of the chicken coop, sitting down in boxes, baskets, etc. suitable places. The features listed above make it possible to accurately select a hen.

The presence or absence of maternal instinct largely depends on the breed of chicken. Bantam chickens and silk breeds are especially prone to breeding. These birds are able to incubate with the same zeal not only their own eggs, but also those of others.

Also,good hens by nature are representatives of the following breeds:

• cochinquin;
• brama;
• velzumer;
• Kuchinskaya anniversary.

If there are chickens of these breeds in your poultry yard, there will be no problem with incubation of eggs. In addition, outbred chickens are also excellent mothers and willingly sit on eggs. This amazing fact is explained by the fact that outbred birds have strong instincts in principle, including maternal instincts - they need it for survival.

Interestingly, a chicken with a developed maternal instinct calmly sits on eggs and birds of other breeds: turkey, goose, duck.

Completely maternal instinct is absent in the Hysexes, the Hai Lan breed and some others. It is rare when the instinct of the mother hen is manifested in hatchery hens. Cross chickens, as well as new generation hybrid breeds, also rarely have a maternal instinct.

Young hens rarely have a developed maternal instinct: they often leave their nests, throw their eggs on the floor, and leave for a long time. To avoid such problems, young chickens are planted for the first time on fake or store eggs.

If a bird sits on a deceptive clutch for several days, leaving only for a short time, most likely, she is already ready to sit on her eggs as a full-fledged hen. An individual unsuitable for this purpose will leave the clutch in a couple of days.

Why does a hen refuse to be a hen?

First of all, the reason for this is the absence, in principle, of the maternal instinct in the female. This is the main reason.

In addition to her, the following factors can scare away the mother hen from fulfilling maternal duty:

• improperly equipped nest, uncomfortable and located in the wrong place;
• strong noise around the nesting site, other external irritants;
• too bright light in the chicken coop;
• close proximity to other hens and their nests.

Often a young hen is not ready for incubation.

Landing methods

Consider the most popular among the people ways of planting chicken on eggs.

The trick method

If there was no female suitable for incubation in the whole chicken coop, you will have to go for a trick. Put a few eggs (dummy) in the nest and then watch the birds for a week. As a rule, there is always at least one hen who undertakes to incubate the laid eggs.

When the bird has already sat on the snags and is firmly settled, replace them imperceptibly with real eggs. However, the replacement must be done so that the mother hen does not suspect anything.

It is also important not to frighten the bird. Therefore, lay the eggs carefully behind the bird, or wait until the hen leaves the nest to eat or drink.

Forced landing

You can force the chicken to sit on the masonry by force. However, there is nothing terrible and life-threatening for the bird in this method. You just need to choose and equip a suitable nest, located in a secluded quiet place in the chicken coop. Blended eggs are placed in the nest and the bird is seated on them.

The cage with the nest must be locked so that the bird does not get out. Usually, after a few days, the maternal instinct automatically turns on in the bird, and it continues to incubate already real eggs.

If, nevertheless, the chicken is not ready for incubation, it must be replaced with another individual. But don’t take a young hen, it’s better to try to make an old hen or middle age bird.

Instead of a cage, you can cover the nest with a basin or basket, releasing a couple of times a day for feeding and a short walk. Often, after sitting for several days in a dark closed place on the nest, the chicken remains on the clutch.

It is better to plant a flower in the evening, after sunset. This recommendation is connected with the fact that the atmosphere at this time will just be muffled, darkened and calm.

Egg preparation

In order for the chickens to hatch safely, the choice of a hen is not enough. You also need to choose the eggs and prepare them correctly.

It is best to lay an odd number of eggs, as in this case they will be more conveniently distributed in the nest. The optimal quantity is 11-15 pieces. Look at the size of the hen: a smaller one should be placed under a small bird, a large one can sit out 17 pieces.

It is better to choose eggs not large, but medium in size. Large eggs often contain two embryo yolks, and in small ones the embryo may be underdeveloped, defective. Their shell must be strong. Take eggs only from an adult bird, healthy and strong.

It is very important that the eggs are fresh: from the moment of demolition to the beginning of incubation, no more than five days should pass. From demolition to laying in the nest, eggs must be stored at a temperature of + 15-20 degrees: they cannot be frozen and kept at too high a temperature.

Eggs are laid out in only one layer so that they are covered on all sides by the body of the hen.

Nest arrangement

The nest in which the hen will hatch the chicks must be prepared in advance. And after the bird has already settled down on it, it will gradually independently make the place more cozy and comfortable. Can be used as nest container cardboard box, wooden box, shallow basket.

Raise the corners of the container to prevent the eggs from rolling out from under the bird. And in front of the nest, hang a canopy of light fabric to create maximum privacy and a calm environment for the bird. The canopy should not interfere with the bird's access to the "house".

The nest should be located in a secluded and darkened place on a slight elevation so that small rodents cannot reach the eggs.

With regard to size, the chicken should be located in the nest comfortably and freely. However, a too spacious nest is useless - eggs from it can roll out. The optimal parameters are 55x35 cm.

Make sure that the air temperature in the chicken coop does not fall below +20 degrees when incubating eggs. Humidity must be maintained at 70-78%.

Hen care

In order for the chickens to hatch safely, it is necessary to properly care for the chicken during the incubation period. Next, let's go through all the important points.

Temperature

A very important aspect for hatching eggs. It is necessary to ensure that the air temperature in the chicken coop does not fall below +15 degrees. The ideal range is +15-20 degrees.

walks

The chicken should not be constantly on the eggs. Make sure that the bird leaves the nest at least once or twice a day to eat and drink. In addition, the kvochka should also walk, stretch its legs. The first days do not disturb the bird, but starting from the fourth or fifth, if the mother hen refuses to leave the nest, you need to help her.

If the bird own water does not want to leave the nest, it is necessary to remove it from the eggs by force. For a while, while the hen is absent, cover the eggs with a cloth or straw: this must be done so that in the absence of a chicken, no other bird sits on the nest.

If the "real mother" returns and finds someone else's hen "at home", a fight cannot be avoided.

The duration of the walk is 15-20 minutes, this is quite enough. And again - if the hen does not want to return to the eggs, help her, forcibly transfer her to the nest.

We recommend cleaning the cage and nest while the bird is away. Inspect the laying site and remove broken eggs, if any. Sometimes a chicken throws unusable eggs on the floor - they also need to be collected, then cleaning the floor.

But having removed the defective eggs, you should not lay new ones - the chicken will notice the substitution and may refuse to sit on the nest further.

Feeding

Place a feeder and drinker close to the nest. The bird should be able to leave the nesting site for a short while to feed. They feed the hen with compound feed, chopped root crops, fresh grass or hay. Woodlice are well suited as green fodder.

About a week before the expected appearance of chickens, the chicken must begin to be fed heavily. The recommendation is connected with the fact that by the time the offspring appears, the bird should come into a strong shape, become more resilient, strong. She will need strength to properly care for numerous and active offspring.

Hygiene

Place a container of wood ash or sand near the nest. A wooden box or a regular bucket is well suited as a container.

So, we figured out how to put a chicken on eggs. In principle, the work is simple - in any chicken coop there is usually a female capable of becoming a full-fledged hen.

If there is no such individual, the article provides simple ways to make the bird hatch offspring. The main thing is to be patient and properly equip the nest, and after a short time everything will work out.

Growing chickens at home requires the obligatory presence of a mother hen - a hen who expresses a desire to incubate eggs until the babies hatch from them. The mother hen always stands out from the rest of the hens. How to determine which individual has a maternal instinct and what should be done about it?

Determining the future kvochka in the chicken coop is not so difficult. She stands out from the rest of the females - her behavior, habits and even appearance are changing.

Here are a few distinguishing features of the hen:

Carefully monitor the chicken coop, all these signs can be identified only if you know the habits of each individual. In addition, signs can speak not only about the desire to hatch, as is the case with diseases. For example, an aggressive attitude towards a rooster may be a simple desire to relax and be alone. The absence of masonry can be considered a sign only in conjunction with other factors, in itself it only means a period of rest.

It must also be remembered that not every hen with an emerging maternal instinct is able to hatch and raise healthy offspring. It all depends on her character. Conventionally, chickens can be divided into the following categories:

It is possible to determine what type the individuals of your chicken coop belong to only by long-term observation of them.

Here are a few more signs of a good future mother: she begins to make a nest on her own, pulling out fluff and feathers from herself in order to cover and soften it.

How to make a chicken a hen forcibly?

If the maternal instinct does not manifest itself, and you do not want to use the incubator, you can develop the desire to hatch from the chicken yourself.

First of all, prepare an artificial nest in a quiet place in the chicken coop, lay grass and feathers, straw. Place dummies of eggs in the nest to attract the attention of the hen.

Nest prices for laying hens

Nest for laying hens

In order for the bird to get used to calmness, put it for 2-4 days under a basket from which it is impossible to get out. It is important that the basket is in a warm, dark place. If, after these actions, the individual continues to sit still for more than 1 day, place it in the nest.

The female is considered ready to incubate if she remains in the nest on fake eggs for the next three days. Put real masonry on it to complete the preparatory process.

For forced incubation, choose experienced animals that have already been breeding.

Video - How to make a bird become a mother hen

Brood preparation

If you are convinced of the desire of the animal to breed, start preparing the individual and the future nest directly. The more comfortable the hatching place is, the less the individual will want to leave it.

If the hen has already nested in past seasons, do not force her to change the place of incubation - the chicken will only sit where she chooses. It is better to freshen up the familiar place a little before planting - remove debris and old materials, replacing them with new ones.

It is very important to protect the hatching chicken from stress and fear. To create a calm atmosphere, you can hang the nesting site with a cloth. Try not to disturb the expectant mother in vain.

When is the best time to put a hen on eggs?

Even if you see signs of motherhood in a laying hen, do not rush to put her on eggs. Make sure of her final desire, and only after preparing a comfortable place, begin to prepare her.

Pay attention to the time of day - in the evening the bird perceives the new environment more calmly and gets used to it better.

The best time to hatch is spring

In addition, not every season is suitable for the birth and rearing of offspring. The optimal period is spring. It's already quite warm outside, full of fresh food. And by autumn, the young growth will have time to grow up and get stronger in order to steadfastly meet the cold that comes with rains.

Cold seasons (autumn, winter) are the most unfavorable periods. It is undesirable to hatch chickens in the summer - they will grow up weak and poorly adapted to harsh weather conditions.

Optimal number of eggs to incubate

One average hen is capable of hatching up to 15 eggs. At the same time, their number directly depends on its age, weight and size - the larger the bird, the more it will fit.

All eggs should be relatively the same age. Putting them in the nest, mark each with a pencil. So you can determine if the chicken laid more eggs during the incubation process, at what period she did it.

It is impossible to report the fruits because the bird gets up from the nest after the first hatching of the chicks. Fresher eggs simply won't get the chance to go through the entire incubation process.

There are 2 main ways to create masonry. At the first, the fruits are laid out in a row so that they are exactly in the middle under the body of the bird. The second method is based on laying in a circle next to each other with its middle filled. It is believed that an odd number of testicles is better for hatching.

Specific care for a brood hen

Grooming starts with a comfortable nest. It should not have sharp corners that cause discomfort to the chicken. Also keep an eye on cavities and recesses so that the eggs cannot roll away.

High air humidity is another important indicator. If it is absent in the place of incubation, moisten it artificially. For example, water can be sprayed with a spray bottle or with automatic system spraying.

If all the conditions for comfortable living are met, you can proceed directly to caring for the bird.

walks

1-2 times a day, the bird should leave the nest for 15-20 minutes for its own needs and to warm up. If the hen does not want to leave the brooding place, force her to leave there, as well as return if the individual does not want to come back.

At the same time, it is advisable to cover the eggs during the absence of the brood hen in order to maintain a constant temperature regime.

If the chicken is gone, you need to close the nest, otherwise, another “hen” may appear there.

Do not worry if on the first day of incubation the individual does not want to leave the place - she just gets used to it, this is normal. But in the following days, a walk should be a must.

Feeding

Moms must have whole grains in their diet. combined feed, mixed herbs, root crops. Leave a small dry grain feeder near the perch so that the hen can feed from time to time without leaving the place.

Don't forget about unlimited access to drinking water. Near the nest, you can also put a flat wide bowl of water so that on hot days the bird can refresh its feathers.

Price for complete feed for laying hens

Complete feed for laying hens

Health status

In a passive bird, which is a female during the incubation period, various insects in feathers often start up. As a preventive measure, place a vessel with sand and ash near the nest - laying hens love to take therapeutic ash baths.

Sanitary standards

During the walk of the bird, inspect the nest for contamination. Remove dirt and crumpled bedding by replacing it with fresh bedding.

Pay attention to the masonry: are the eggs crushed or split. Remove cracked shells.

Characteristics and requirements for hatching eggs

A prepared mother hen is only half the success on the way to the birth of healthy offspring. Properly selected eggs for laying also play a big role. They must meet the following parameters:

To make the eggs clean and correct, change the bedding in the nests of birds more often, take the hens out for a walk, airing the chicken coop and cleaning the floor at the same time. The collection of eggs is carried out exclusively with clean, dry hands.

Fresh eggs are ideal for hatching. Maximum term their storage before laying - no more than 10 days.

Candling process

Candling allows you to look inside the egg before placing it under the quail. So you will personally be convinced of its quality and, importantly, the success of the final result.

An ovoscope is a very simple device that is easy to make even with your own hands. In a small box, an oval hole is made on the top. A bright light source is placed inside. Bringing the egg to the hole, you shine through it, observing the quality of the contents.

Ovoscope prices

Norms and pathologies

When candling, the fetus must meet the following parameters:

• the shell is homogeneous, translucent evenly. Cavities and bulges are absent;
• the air chamber is located at the blunt end of the shell. It is small in size and fixed against the wall;
• the yolk is in the center of the egg or slightly offset towards the blunt end. It shines through evenly, the edges are slightly blurred. On all sides it is surrounded by protein;
• foreign inclusions are absent.

Ovoscopy allows you to reject unsuitable fruits not only before, but also during incubation. In the early stages, pathologies include the following factors:

It is impossible to conduct ovoscopy every day, so as not to irritate the bird and damage the eggs. In addition, frequent temperature changes are harmful to the development of the fetus. The repeated procedure is performed in the early stages (3-5 days of the cycle), in the middle of development (8-9 days), at the end of the cycle, which lasts a total of 21 days (17 days).

Embryo Development Control

The intermediate use of an ovoscope is necessary in order to calculate and reject fruits that are frozen in development.

1. When viewed at an early stage, you will not yet see the embryo - only its slight shadow is distinguishable. A network of blood vessels is visible in the yolk. It is necessary to reject fruits with a looped or too dark circulatory system. Poorly developed embryos are displaced to the side or towards the shell. Infertile (empty) eggs should also be removed.
2. The second examination shows the embryos enlarged in size (up to a quarter of the entire area of ​​the egg), around which the circulatory network is located. Specialists can distinguish mild signs of a heartbeat.
3. The final inspection shows a fully formed fetus with a head in the narrow part of the shell. There is often little movement.

If you cull too many eggs at each stage, pay attention to the conditions of keeping and incubation. Perhaps you are simply providing an unfavorable environment for hatching, such as being too low temperature regime, restless mother bird or initially unsuitable for incubation fruits.

In the optimal scenario, the percentage of egg rejection should not exceed 5-10%. Such success is not difficult to achieve. It is enough to meet all the necessary conditions:

• calculate a responsible laying hen, ready to sit quietly on eggs for the entire period;
• prepare fresh eggs with healthy contents;
• form a cozy nest and arrange a calm atmosphere for the quote.

Video - Chick Hatching

With the advent of incubators, the process of breeding poultry has become much easier, but in personal subsidiary farms, experienced poultry farmers still consider it a great success that the instinct of incubation appeared in chickens.

A caring "mommy" will not forget to turn the eggs over in time, remove those from the nest from which chickens will not appear, help the babies to be born and will always be on guard for the offspring, protecting and teaching them. The owners of a good hen care for care becomes many times less. But hens also have their drawbacks.

A chicken of an egg or meat-and-egg breed that clucked in the spring for experienced poultry farmers can be a reason for joy or an extra headache. Raising chickens in natural conditions has many advantages:

• There is no need to control the process in, monitor the temperature, turn the eggs.
• The labor-intensive process of nursing chickens, feeding the mother hen will also take over.
• The bird instinctively controls the process of the birth of chickens, helps to break through the shell if necessary.
• The mother hen is able to distinguish fertilized eggs with normally developing embryos from non-viable ones; she herself pushes eggs unsuitable for offspring from.
• From the first seconds of life, the offspring of chickens is under the most careful protection, the mother hen will not only teach the chickens to eat and drink, but also protect them from any danger, shelter them from cold and rain.

However, it is worth remembering that in the early days it does not matter to the chicken whether the eggs are fertilized or not in the nest. She sits on any and does not allow other chickens to even approach a secluded place chosen for breeding.

There are several more disadvantages of the appearance of a hen on the farm:

• The chicken stops laying.
• You can “roll” under it no more than 10–15 eggs, making sure that everyone is covered with its feathers.
• It is necessary to collect eggs for hatching in advance, she must start incubating them at the same time.
• For a hen with future offspring, a separate one is needed, since chickens with chickens show aggression not only towards small and large predators, but also towards former neighbors in the poultry house.
• Sometimes mother hens are extremely careless, especially if they are disturbed, they can crush eggs and chickens.
• For mass breeding of poultry on a farm, incubators are much preferable to hens. And in personal subsidiary farm breeding chickens naturally can be a wonderful experiment, interesting for both children and adults.
• Watching how babies are born, how carefully their mother takes care of them, how chickens grow and develop, becomes an excellent lesson for poultry farmers.

How to choose the right hen?

Not every chicken is able to become a good hen. Even a mother who cackles and sits on the nest for a long time may turn out to be worthless. After sitting on the eggs for 2-3 days, some simply get up, go for a walk and no longer approach the nest.

Attempts to force them to continue incubating may result in the destruction of the eggs.

Although some poultry farmers practice methods such as building a nest in or boxes, where it is easier to cover the chicken and darken the place of incubation, this is still quite risky.

When choosing a bird for breeding chickens, you need to check in advance which of the chickens are most suitable for the role of mothers:

• The bird should be healthy, not weakened, normally fed.
• She must sit in the nest on eggs for at least 3 days before those to be hatched roll under her.
• they rarely sit down to incubate eggs, usually hens are adult hens 2-3 years old.
• The bird should be calm, normally developed, well feathered.
• Before the start of incubation, the hen practically exposes her stomach, pulling out a feather to line warm bedding bottom.
• The hen should not be overfed, a heavy brood hen can damage the eggs.

The breeding instinct makes many birds cackle periodically, the owners should carefully observe each one in order to choose the right future mothers who can both sit and hatch.

How to select eggs?

Even duck and goose eggs can be rolled under a good hen, the main thing is that the hatching dates coincide.

Before you allow the chicken to freely settle in the nest, you need to carefully examine its contents:

• Eggs can be collected within a few days room temperature.
• Smooth, medium-sized with a normal shell structure are suitable for breeding.
• Do not put damaged, heavily soiled or much larger eggs in the nest.
  Before you sit the chicken, the eggs should be checked (a regular flashlight without glass will do). In the first days, the egg should not have any inclusions and impurities. Only a small black dot in the very center - this is the embryo.

On the 5th-8th day, embryos are already visible in the egg. You should not constantly scan the eggs, 3 times during the incubation period is enough.

It is also necessary to remember the number of future chickens - even a very good mother will not be able to go out more than 15 pieces.

It is not necessary to disturb the hen once again, removing and laying eggs, it is better to immediately put the required amount and let the hen sit quietly.

Creating the necessary conditions for breeding chickens

A nest in a darkened corner of the poultry house or a separate room in which the chicken willingly rushed is also suitable for breeding. But the chicken also needs peace, overly curious neighbors can harm future chickens, make the hen nervous and behave aggressively:

• A box or cardboard box measuring at least 60 cm long and 30-50 cm wide, with high sides to prevent eggs from accidentally rolling out.
• The bottom is covered with turf, foliage or straw.
• From above it is worth pouring sawdust or fresh hay.
• With fluff and feathers, the hen lines the bottom herself.
• The room should be cool, dry, but not cold.
• Chickens must be provided with good, constant access to fresh air.
  If desired, the hen should calmly leave the nest and return freely.

Properly equipped place for breeding chickens in many ways becomes the key to successful breeding.

How long is the incubation period for eggs?

To hatch chickens under a hen, you need to prepare, since this process is quite lengthy.

A hen can sit on eggs for up to 30 days. This period includes the time at which the owners can determine whether the mother hen will come out of the chickadee, remove the pads and lay the eggs intended for breeding birds in the nest.

From the moment the incubation begins to the appearance of babies, 21-25 days pass. If no one appeared from the egg after this period, this means that the embryo died or the baby was not viable.

Care of the brood hen during hatching

The mother hen practically does not leave the nest, warming future chickens, turning them over and even “talking” with them. If she does not go out on her own to eat, take a walk, you should carefully remove her from the eggs and take her out into the street. Usually, 10-15 minutes are enough for a chicken to peck grain or, drink, cope with natural needs. Then the mother returns to the task entrusted to her.

At this time, it is important to ensure the safety of the nest, since chickens are curious creatures, they will definitely go to check what is happening in a secluded place. And they may not be greeted, as the mother behaves very aggressively.

If necessary, you can install feeders and drinkers near the nest so that the restless mother hen does not go too far, she can eat calmly, looking after the "home".

While the chicken is walking, you can carefully check the condition of the eggs, remove the cracked ones, even change the litter if the old one is wet.

hatching process

It is interesting to observe the unique process of the birth of babies. It remains only to be surprised at the wisdom of nature, because the care of mother hen chickens begins from the first days of incubation. The chicken teaches the kids to the sounds of his voice, carefully listens to what is happening. She hears the first squeak, rolls the eggs that have begun to cool down deeper under herself, helps to make the first punctures to weak chickens when they are born:

• 2-3 days before the appearance of chickens, even a person can hear a low squeak that comes from under the shell. The chicken carefully listens to the sounds, cackles over each egg, some moves.
• 1 day before the birth of the babies, the first cracks appear in the shell: the grown chicken tries to break through the hard shell with an egg tooth (a hard growth that disappears 2-3 days after the appearance of the chicken).
• Cracks increase, a clear squeak and a soft thump of the beak on the shell are heard.
• 3-4 hours before pecking, a hole appears in the shell, through which the beak can be seen.
• The hole quickly increases in size, soon the head, legs with claws can already enter it.
• Having completely destroyed the protective layer, the baby is completely wet in the nest next to the mother, the mother hen gently pushes him under her.

This happens with almost every egg. By careful observation, the chicken only sometimes helps weakened babies who cannot break the shell on their own. She may gently tap several times or just one to help.

A person does not need to interfere in the process in any case, it will do more harm than good.

By heating and drying the chickens, the mother will show the yellow lumps how to eat, drink, where to look for food. This will not happen until the chick is ready to move. There is no need to speed up this process either.

Care of the brood hen and newborn chicks

After the appearance of the first chicks, the mother hen may simply abandon the rest of the eggs, so it is important not to leave the hen with the brood unattended.

If the pecking process is delayed, it is worth picking up the dried crumbs and placing them in a large box under the lamp (the temperature should be about 28-30 degrees), waiting until the rest are born:

• The hen will determine if any of the chicks need help by carefully removing the shell.
• After the birth of the last of the chickens, all can be put under the hen.
• Sometimes, along with the brood hen, babies from the incubator are also allowed to approach it (the chicken is able to “lead” up to 25 chickens).
• The mother hen herself will show the children how, what and where to eat, how to drink, tapping on the ground, calling with a cluck in case of danger. Chickens perfectly remember her voice and understand the signals she gives).
• A hen with a brood will always stay somewhat apart from other birds, carefully looking after both chickens and objects that are dangerous, from her point of view.
• In a separate paddock, the brood will be much calmer, so it is better to rid the mother and children of the neighbors in the first 15-20 days.
• You need to take care of protection from predators - birds and animals.
• There should be plenty of fresh food (crushed eggs, cottage cheese, crushed potatoes, greens).
• It is worth adding a little potassium permanganate to the water in the drinkers to disinfect it.
• Fine sand, gravel, shell rock underfoot will help debug the digestion of young animals. Chicks will gladly repeat the movements of their mother, scraping larvae and insects from the sand. It is worth removing the litter from the nest with the remains of the shell, garbage, adding fresh straw dust, hay or sawdust, cleaning out the feces so that the kids do not start pecking them.

With a good hen, the owners with chickens will have no more worries. She herself will collect them in the evening in the nest, warm them, take them out for a walk in the early morning, and help them find food in abundance. With the threat of rain, a strong wind will take them indoors or collect them under them. The squeak of a lost chicken, inaudible to the human ear, will make her worry and look for him.

Collapse

Animal breeding is very popular among farmers. Chickens are used for laying eggs or for getting meat. The laying hen has become one of the most attractive options for owners.

But what if she sat on the eggs? There are several options for how to fix this problem.

Advantages and disadvantages

Good or bad depends on the plans of the farmer

Raising chickens is a great business for many. Raising poultry for permanent production of eggs or meat brings a good income. Farmers often start a laying hen, since this type of bird, with proper care and creation of conditions, can please any owner.

But, the problem arises when the chicken sits on the eggs. Accordingly, egg production drops sharply, the bird becomes aggressive, and the owner has to wait for offspring. To begin with, it is worth understanding the positive and negative aspects of the situation.

Everything directly depends on the plans of the owner himself. If there is a desire to breed offspring, then the problem disappears by itself. The fact is that the maternal instinct in a chicken allows her to sit on eggs for a long time and reproduce new offspring. Eliminates the need to use an incubator for artificial rearing of chicks.

But, if the owner plans:

• it was not included to breed a bird;
• the priority was high productivity in egg production, then the intentions of the laying hen will only get in the way.

Often summer residents breed birds for the summer to constantly replenish their stocks of eggs, and at the end of the season - meat. Accordingly, the new generation of chickens will only get in the way.

If it's about farms, where the main activity is focused on the sale of eggs, then the incubation period will negatively affect the business.

Until the moment when the chicks are born, the chicken stops laying. Breeding in such places is carried out in large numbers and in incubators, since the bird cannot reproduce large offspring on its own.

Accordingly, laying on eggs is an extremely undesirable phenomenon that they want to get rid of in many cases.

Reasons for the awakening of the maternal instinct

Laying hen on eggs

In order to deal with the problem, it is worth looking into its root. The chicken, like any female animal, has maternal needs. Once a year, usually in the spring, she has a desire to breed.

Each owner can notice changes in the life of the laying hen. The first sign is an increase in egg production. The bird produces more eggs than is typical for her.

If an animal is free-roaming rather than caged, you will notice that it often disappears from view. The hen prepares a nest for herself, where she lays the bulk of her eggs. She can leave for a long time and sit on her eggs. Sometimes the owners don't even notice.

If the bird is kept in a cage, then it is easiest to consider changes in its behavior. The laying hen becomes more aggressive, passive, cackles a lot. It can refuse food and food, wanting by any means to create a warm and secluded place for breeding.

Creating conditions for laying hens

If you decide to help the chicken with its intentions, then you need to take care of special conditions:

• when several hens want to incubate eggs, it is better to select the calmer ones and throw them all the eggs;
• at cell content the bird should be sent to a separate cage with soft bedding;
• it is important to systematically feed and water the expectant mother;
• you should not try to check the eggs, as this increases the aggression of the laying hen and may provoke her to refuse further incubation.

After the chicks are born, in a few weeks the bird will return to its previous state and begin to lay eggs.