Chicken reproduction involves several stages, including mating, egg laying, and incubation.

Chicken reproduction is a fundamental part of poultry production. It refers to the complete process in which a rooster and a hen mate so that the egg is fertilized, the hen lays hatching eggs, and chicks are then obtained through incubation. The whole process includes several stages such as mating, egg laying, and incubation, and the management level at each stage directly affects the quality and quantity of the chicks.

In terms of mating methods, chicken reproduction is divided into two types: natural mating and artificial insemination. Natural mating is simple to carry out and is suitable for free-range or floor-raised flocks; it only requires grouping the birds according to a suitable rooster-to-hen ratio. Artificial insemination is mostly used on breeding farms and for caged breeding stock; it can increase the fertilization rate and also makes it easier to carry out selective breeding of improved varieties.

After a hen reaches sexual maturity, she begins to lay eggs. Light duration, nutrition level, and the health status of the flock all affect laying performance. Hatching eggs should be collected promptly, and eggs with a normal shape and intact shells should be selected, disinfected, and stored short-term under suitable temperature and humidity conditions, then set for incubation as soon as possible to ensure good hatching results.

Incubation can be divided into two categories: natural incubation and artificial incubation. Natural incubation relies on a broody hen to complete the process; the method is traditional but limited in scale. Artificial incubation uses an incubator to control temperature, humidity, and ventilation, with regular turning and candling of eggs. The incubation period is generally about three weeks, and hatching is concentrated and easy to manage.

Common problems in production include a low fertilization rate, improper storage of hatching eggs, and brooding by hens affecting egg laying. By rationally configuring the rooster-to-hen ratio, strengthening the nutrition of breeding chickens, collecting eggs promptly, and properly storing hatching eggs, reproductive performance can be effectively improved, laying a good foundation for subsequent chick rearing and poultry production.