California - Northern

[ronott1]

Hi everyone,

Long time reader but first time posting. I have learned so much on this website so I want to say hi and thank you for all the information on chicken keeping.

I am in San Jose, CA. This is my first time keeping chickens. I have two sebright hens (one golden one silver). I got my first egg today so I am very excited. I have a quick question though. I saw my chickens eating my milkweed but they are fine...do I have to worry about their eggs? can I eat the eggs? I thought Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed so that birds do not the butterfly because milkweed is poisonous?

Steve

It sounds like they can eat a bit of milk weed but it is bad for their liver. The toxin should be metabolized by the liver and not get into the eggs. You might want to blow out the first couple to keep as mementos. Congratulations on the first eggs!

The bugs are poisonous regardless of what they eat. I read a blog where the person said the chickens just know not to eat those poisonous bugs.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[liz9910]

Hi everyone,

Long time reader but first time posting.  I have learned so much on this website so I want to say hi and thank you for all the information on chicken keeping.

I am in San Jose, CA.  This is my first time keeping chickens.  I have two sebright hens (one golden one silver).  I got my first egg today so I am very excited.  I have a quick question though.  I saw my chickens eating my milkweed but they are fine...do I have to worry about their eggs?  can I eat the eggs?  I thought Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed so that birds do not the butterfly because milkweed is poisonous?

Steve

Welcome to the thread I don't know the answer but hope someone else can help you.

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
I had to check to make sure!

They are 12 to 13 weeks old.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Question I'm on day 21 with 5 eggs my grandma gave me.... not a pip yet. I never candled them. How often do eggs go over 21 days to hatch? I'm hoping they hatch!! I just hope for at least 2

If you didn't candle them then you don't know if they were even forming. I don't see any marks for turning them either - did you turn them 3 to 5 times a day for the first 18 days?

However - you can see if they are alive. First pick one egg out and listen to it really closely. If it is peeping or pecking put it right back in. If not, get some water and heat it to 100 degrees. Take the egg and put it carefully in the water. If the egg floats at the top and wiggles then you know it is alive and moving. If it floats there is a chance. If it sinks - its a stinker, get rid of it. Wipe the egg off and put it back in and get another one. Do this quickly and watch your humidity - add water or a wet paper towel if it drops.

If the temperatures went down cooler than the embryo wants then that will delay the hatch. I have heard of some hatching as late as 24 days.

Good Luck!

 

[ronott1]

Question I'm on day 21 with 5 eggs my grandma gave me.... not a pip yet. I never candled them. How often do eggs go over 21 days to hatch? I'm hoping they hatch!! I just hope for at least 2

My guess is that the temps were a bit low, if that is a still air cooler bater. You should see a pip today and hatch tomorrow. If the temps were low enough to delay the hatch bye more that a day then there could be development problems.

Yes, candle to see what is going on if there are no pip holes.

Good Luck!

 

[SilkieRose]

If you didn't candle them then you don't know if they were even forming. I don't see any marks for turning them either - did you turn them 3 to 5 times a day for the first 18 days?

However - you can see if they are alive. First pick one egg out and listen to it really closely. If it is peeping or pecking put it right back in. If not, get some water and heat it to 100 degrees. Take the egg and put it carefully in the water. If the egg floats at the top and wiggles then you know it is alive and moving. If it floats there is a chance. If it sinks - its a stinker, get rid of it. Wipe the egg off and put it back in and get another one. Do this quickly and watch your humidity - add water or a wet paper towel if it drops.

If the temperatures went down cooler than the embryo wants then that will delay the hatch. I have heard of some hatching as late as 24 days.

Good Luck!

Thanks!!! I am soooo going to do that!! I turned them at least 4x's each day. For some reason I think the brown one moved a little closer to the thermometer since I last took a pic. Should I just leave that one alone just in case? Not candling was part of my homeschooling science project. I'm kicking myself, but it's part of the project. Floating wasn't ruled out though I'm going to listen to the brown & float the others.
Thanks soooo much!!

 

[SilkieRose]

My guess is that the temps were a bit low, if that is a still air cooler bater. You should see a pip today and hatch tomorrow. If the temps were low enough to delay the hatch bye more that a day then there could be development problems.

Yes, candle to see what is going on if there are no pip holes.

Good Luck!

Thanks, Ron. Yes, still air...I built it myself. Used it last month & got 50%. Temps have been pretty good. Think I'm going to try the float test.

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
With still air, the top and bottom need to average 99.5, so for example, The top would be 100 and the bottom would be 99.

It is good if one of the eggs moved!

 

[OR4-hmom]

Hi everyone,

Long time reader but first time posting. I have learned so much on this website so I want to say hi and thank you for all the information on chicken keeping.

I am in San Jose, CA. This is my first time keeping chickens. I have two sebright hens (one golden one silver). I got my first egg today so I am very excited. I have a quick question though. I saw my chickens eating my milkweed but they are fine...do I have to worry about their eggs? can I eat the eggs? I thought Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed so that birds do not the butterfly because milkweed is poisonous?

Steve

Welcome skeeve101!

l can never guess what my girls will go for. Some days they are into the clover, other days it's milk thistle, other times they are only looking for bugs. I figure they know what they want and in what quantities they need. I did remove all the rhubarb after loosing a pullet that got under the covering and gorged on the new leaves.

I second Ron on blowing out and saving the first eggs. When I see the size of the ones they lay now compared to their first ones it makes me smile, patience in all things.

 

[OR4-hmom]

Did a quick wing check on the new babies, they were running all over so I may have grabbed the same one twice BUT looks like 5 girls and 2 boys. Since they hatched over a three day period some are behind the curve and I'll have to check again and make sure I don't miss anyone next time.