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Tfred1399 said:
As we look to spring..
1) When should I start keeping eggs to set under a hen?
2) How should I store them?
3) How many should I set? (Hoping. for. 4 more hens or some meat)
4) How long can they sit and still be. viable?

I'm certain these answers can all be found elsewhere on the site. But you folks haven't led me astray yet.
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Depends. It's generally pretty warm by the time they start setting. If it's earlier in the spring, then the chicks are filled out and ready to eat or withstand the cold by the time it's winter. I'd start keeping eggs back when it looks like one is starting to go broody. Or, if the hen has selected a different location than the next box, you can just let them accumulate there.

Same way you would hatching eggs. Large end up, turn them if you're holding for more than seven days. I have just left them on the counter and gotten just fine hatches.

About 8, maybe. I find broodies (good ones) to have crazy high hatch rates especially if you set more eggs than you want chicks.

Two weeks is generally a good cutoff date but they can be viable for much longer. Some set month old eggs and still get good hatches.
 
Holm can your Orps tell my Cochins to start laying?

Since the dog doesn't use her dog house the cats have taken a liking to it
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Tfred1399 said:
As we look to spring..
1) When should I start keeping eggs to set under a hen?
2) How should I store them?
3) How many should I set? (Hoping. for. 4 more hens or some meat)
4) How long can they sit and still be. viable?

I'm certain these answers can all be found elsewhere on the site. But you folks haven't led me astray yet.
Click to expand...
1) That is up to your preference. I like hatching in February and March. If you don't have an incubator however I would say April or May. I would watch for broody behaviors and start keeping eggs then. My broodies however only come around in August-October
2) I store mine in our crawl space which is about 40-60° and turn them 2 times a day. Although I have just had mine on the counter and those hatched.
3) I seem to have horrible luck with male to female ratio. So if I was looking for 4 pullets in one go I would set 12 eggs. But if you are just hatching and taking what you get as it comes I would say 5-8 eggs at a time.
4) Two weeks. Sometimes longer stored eggs will hatch, but for a higher rate I would say 2 weeks.
 
holm25 said:
I lost another Cornish Cock last night...
Click to expand...
:hugs Sorry.

I have become jumpy with the second loss and have trucked a bantam or two in that was looking too sluggish for my liking. The AM cock had his eye froze shut again so now I have three birds in the house. Hopefully I can kick them out tomorrow---I do not want them in my house all winter.

Next year I am culling hard for health and ability to stay alive without being babied. This year, I don't have enough birds for that.

Good news is that the PC have been doing brilliantly in this weather.
 
One of my PC's, Princess of course - has a weird looking eye. It looks white around the outer part, I took a couple pictures but they aren't good quality. My phone may have been too cold. In the photo it does look frozen but in reality it doesn't, so I don't know.
She still hates me and won't let me near her.
 

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