Can I incubate Pullet eggs?.....

[Sunny Girl]

OK all you hatching experts....Can I incubate Pullet eggs?Pullet eggs seem so much smaller and I was wondering if they will hatch healthy chicks? They are fertle, and we want to give them a try in the incubator.
Is this a good idea? The cochin eggs are especially small. Has anyone tried and how was the outcome?

 

[morelcabin]

I wouldn't. I'm not saying they won't hatch, because they can...but you are creating a very weak genetic line in the process and I believe that anyone who breeds should breed for health above all else

 

[cqranch]

I'm not sure how it would affect the hatching, since I'm a newbie with the bator, but the pullet eggs that I've used for eating seem to have alot tuffer membrane, was difficult for me to even crack them. Just didn't know if that would make it harder for a chick to hatch???

 

[Akane]

I don't think weak genetics would be a factor. The genetics the bird produces shouldn't change with age. The eggs though tend to have issues and I suppose as a result the chicks could have physical problems. At minimum the eggs are a smaller size and often odd shape which can cause difficulties for the chick while hatching. Sometimes just plain weird things can go wrong when chickens first start laying eggs. I know some people have gotten ok hatches from pullet eggs but mine hatched 2 out of 24. I wouldn't bother.

 

[Pine Grove]

They'll be fine, You'll just get a smaller chick, but it will reach it's genetic potential..I've hatched over 3600 chicks this year and close to a thousand of these eggs were from pullets in their 1st and 2nd week of laying..Fertility was as high or higher than the older hens and hatchablity was about the same.....

 

[swtangel321]

I have read other posts on here about this subject, I dont belive its a good idea. Try using the seach link above and search "hatching pullet eggs"

 

[twigg]

I just had a 100% hatch of very healthy Buff Orpingtons from hens that have only been laying a month.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

HI!
It all depends on the individual birds.

I think it is those first few eggs that may be a problem.
When my Silkie girls first started laying, I got excited and set every single egg (they were normal-size for a Silkie) and the chicks politely hatched and died.
I was offered lots of 'remedies' for 'non-thrifty' chicks -- no saving the chicks, they just didn't have it in them to survive past hatch..

I think it is best to wait a couple of weeks before setting eggs from young girls.

The worst that can happen is they don't develop / hatch or die soon after hatching and it will be a lesson learned.

I like to be sure all point-of-lay girls get plenty of extra protein and Vitamins & Electrolytes in their water. Once a girl's been laying 'right-sized' eggs for 2 weeks, I'm comfortable setting them.

Twigg, I think if a hen has been laying a month, the eggs are safe for setting. Congrats on your 100% hatch.

Lisa

 

[shelleyd2008]

Personally, I am on my 2nd hatch. I set a total of 24 Pullet eggs (all I had was pullets, except for my 1 hen that was setting), and so far the first hatch i had 12 out of 18 hatch, and this time i have 4 out of 6 so far (still hatching). they are small, but most of them popped out like jack in the boxes!!

 

[onthespot]

I set a clutch of ten pullet eggs, all but the first three she ever laid, and out of ten, five were no good, two have hatched and are doing great, I heard another egg peeping but it is not due for two more days and the other two are fertile, but not due for a week or more.
I would rather at least try, since my eggs were good sized and not pointy looking or chalky or unevenly pigmented. The eggs were so pretty I just couldn't resisit. So far, no bad lessons on this batch.