My friend wants to know how long it takes for chickens to go from the egg being laid to the chick coming out ...and is it a seasonal thing?

Idaho Cher

-- Cher Rovang (fullcircle@nidlink.com), October 26, 2000

Answers

Plus or minus a day or two, depending on incubator temperature, 28 days. On their own, chickens usually will set eggs in spring or summer, but not always! We have bred most of the common sense out of them in our quest for increased egg production, so they might try to set eggs anytime. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), October 26, 2000.

try 21 days for chickens. Larger fowl such as turkey are 28

-- Don (dairyagri@yahoo.com), October 26, 2000.

I've found that they are less fertile in fall and winter than spring and early summer .Also remember that the chicks will need to be keep warm for some time and do you really want them in the house for Christmas ?

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), October 26, 2000.

You are so right Don, must of had brain lock or not enough caffeine yet! Sorry Cher. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), October 27, 2000.

last year we hatched them out for christmas so the kids would see them, i must have had a laps of insanity! we had chicks in the house until spring...the smell got real bad!

-- renee oneill (oneillsr@home.com), October 27, 2000.

Renee , your nuts ! Glad to see your computer is up and running

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), October 27, 2000.

Ayuh! 21 days usually does it, at least if you have a mama hen. It can vary by a day or 2 if you use an incubator, depending upon the temp. Mama hen will usually give about 2 days after the 1st chick hatches before she gives up on the remainder. If you have very valuable chicks, you may take those eggs and put them in an incubator for another couple of days, and you may get another 1 or 2 to hatch. Usually not worth it, though! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), October 27, 2000.

Cher, Well, you already know it is 21 days for chicks and if you do it the old fashioned way and let the hen hatch out the eggs you do not have to keep them in the house all winter. they do need to be in a place protected from the weather. I have banty hens (aracauna's) still setting and hatching chicks, I think I will have to make them stop! I also have 7 week old chicks I got from the hatchery after a pet dog climbed over the fence and killed all my pullets. Have fun!

-- Karen D. Mauk (kansasgoats@iwon.com), October 31, 2000.