Am I insane? Or is there a chance of some hatching? EBAY EGGS!

[P0U1TRYP3RS0N]

Wow...havent been on here in a while.
Anyways...Ive been having a reaaaaaaaaaaaally bad chicken week

Last week....There was a little avalanche of snow that blocked the entrance to the baby birds (ok...they're from an april hatch) house, trapping them in there. all but two (my fayoumis) died.
So the two survivors were crated...and negligent forgetful me sorta...um...wasnt paying as much attention as I should...And I think the roo died of dehydration. I feel really bad

Its my fault.
Then sunday...due to a disastrous combination of a belligerant bull elk who keeps trying to get in my chicken feed, and my dogs, they broke in one of my other pens, throwin the gate open and the dogs killed all four birds in that pen.

Including my special BLRW that was goodbye gift from my now retired 4-H leader.
Anyways...I think Im like in withdrawal. I only have like 10 birds right now...none of which are my special ones. So now...I just got the wild hare to buy some silkie hatching eggs on ebay (Ive been living on eBay to accomplish christmas shopping...and Im a sucker for silkies. my favorite breed.)
But as I pay for them...Im wondering...what did I just get myself into?! Has anyone ever bought eggs in december and had them actually hatch?!
I have hatched from my own birds in dec (last year--but the baby had a crossed beak

And I have bought eBay eggs before, and had some hatch.
I'm just wondering...am I insane or is there a chance these could hatch?

 

[Lensters]

I'm having good luck hatching my own eggs and I just ordered some eggs from down South, hopefully they don't get too cold on the trip here.

 

[juliechick]

I sure wish you the best with them. Can the seller pack them so they won't freeze? I'm hatching some now that were left out in the rain, in pretty cold weather, but not freezing.

 

[emvickrey]

There is a large possibility they could arrive frozen or had gotten too cold. Then you have the x-ray and rough handling to add in. If it where me, No I wouldn't buy any eggs that have to be shipped now. Try Craigslist. You may find someone that has some silkie's laying close enough to drive and get them. Other wise I suggest you wait until spring.

Where are you located? State that is. I have mixes. My incubator is full and they are steady laying. If you go to my page you will see what I have. I have a black silkie/aracuna mix hen with a bearded silkie roo, a sizzle with a non bearded roo and a frizzle roo with a brown and black silkie aracuna hen. she looks more like a button quail to me because she has no tail feathers. Then I have a solid black silkie/aracuna hen and an OE hen and American Onagadori hen with an American Onagadori roo.

Personally I like the variety. The chicks that hatch will mostly be sold. I also have 2 EE roo that need a home and some mixed EE/AO's too.

 

[P0U1TRYP3RS0N]

Emvrickey--Last dec...the cross beak chick was a Easter Egger x Silkie. TOO CUTE! Her older full sister, from two years ago...was also adorable...they are a cute combo.
Thanks for the warning, but in my moment of insanity I had already bid. And subsequently won

So...Ig we'll just have to see how it goes. I was just wondering if anyone had done it in the winter and had success.
I'm in Northern arizona (think blizzards...not cactus. haha)

 

[ZooMummzy]

I bought eggs last week from VA and they shipped just fine. They were sent on Saturday morning and arrived here Monday morning. They were wrapped really well, not frozen and none were cracked. I put all of them in the incubator and some under my broody hen. Who knows, anything is possible.

 

[Ariel301]

Hahaha you must be at a higher northern Arizona elevation than me. I'm in northwestern Arizona about 2 hours from Vegas and it's in the 40s and we've had lots of rain, but no snow.

I'd help you out with some eggs, but my girls are not laying right now.

 

[emvickrey]

Well, ZooMummy had them arrive in good shape so good luck. I would love to find a bearded silkie hen for my roo and I need a lavender or splash orphington roo for my hen. Maybe when I go to the livestock barn in Martin i'll find what I need.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

P0U1TRYP3RS0N - So sorry to hear you had such a sad week.

Feel free to come check out the AZ thread here at BYC. There are a lot of good folks there that might have some contacts for you.

 

[becky3086]

Sounds to me like you should wait until you have better housing and are ready to to feed and water daily.