Hatching Eggs through the Mail from Hatcheries

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monnarush

monnarush

In the Brooder
Nov 6, 2016
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I would like to know how successful it is to buy fertilized hatching eggs to set under my silkie hens when they go broody? Also should I allow my girls to raise a batch of their own eggs for practice before investing in hatching eggs? I want to raise Easter Egger but need my silkies to hatch them out for me. My Silkie hens are 6 months old and they have just started laying eggs this past week so I am sure it will be in the spring when they become broody. Any helpful info will be appreciated. :)

P.S. How many fertilized Easter Egger eggs should I put under my small silkie hen? Thanks!
 
Shipped eggs are always a crap shoot, but the seller loses all control once they enter the mail. If it is possible to locate local eggs this variable can be eliminated. Most silky hens can effectively cover and brood approximately 8 large fowl eggs. Realistically it's as many as she can effectively cover without stacking of eggs. A well shaped grass hay nest helps hold the eggs together.
 
Thanks! I figured this might be the case and wanted to know if anyone had much success with mail order eggs. I am leaning on getting day old chicks if I cannot find a breeder near enough to me. I will put an add in our wv paper first to see if I can find a breeder. Thanks again for your input. Happy Holidays!
 
Drop a PM to WVduckchick, and tell her that I sent you. She is one of the really good guys and can probably hook you up with some local eggs.
 
I tried mail order eggs, only had one out of 14 that tried to develop but it quit too....
hit.gif
 
Wow, I don't think I will order hatching eggs through the mail, that is terrible :( Thanks for the info.
 
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Shipped eggs are notorious for being difficult to hatch.

Honestly, Easter eggers are a dime a dozen. You should easily be able to find someone withing decent driving distance who would sell you a clutch of eggs.

Or, wait until your little silkie goes broody. Bait her for 3 weeks, then buy sexed pullets and put them under her. That way, you know you're getting all (or mostly all) pullets as a start on a breeding flock. Come late spring or early summer, folks will be looking to give away Easter egger cockerels, and you'll have your choice of colors to chose from. Going that way, you could easily wind up with 8 nice pullets, and add a cockerel in a few months. Order 8 shipped hatching eggs, get a 50% hatch rate, now you're down to 4 birds, and 2 are gonna be cockerels....
 
Good advice, I have decided not to buy hatching eggs. I will consider the bait & switch :) good plan. Thanks!
 

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