11th Annual Easter Hatch a Long 2020

[beth1004]

Hey all, I candled my eggs last night and the other day was accurate. I have 2 incubators going at 2 different houses. I candled the ones at my house. I set 22 eggs. 6 didn’t do anything. 3 I’m not sure. I took those 9 out. I may have a couple early quitters. These were all my eggs. None shipped.
Here are my questions...
Can you tell if these eggs are fertile? (I’ll post pics)
When I cracked them open, 9 yolks were intact 3 seemed more like scrambled eggs right out of the shell.
Is there any information for the future to gather from this. I had hoped for better % with my own eggs.
Could they have been too old? I don’t remember when I started gathering them. Thanks for any help. By the way, there are 5 hens and 1 rooster.

 

[ronott1]

Hey all, I candled my eggs last night and the other day was accurate. I have 2 incubators going at 2 different houses. I candled the ones at my house. I set 22 eggs. 6 didn’t do anything. 3 I’m not sure. I took those 9 out. I may have a couple early quitters. These were all my eggs. None shipped.
Here are my questions...
Can you tell if these eggs are fertile? (I’ll post pics)
When I cracked them open, 9 yolks were intact 3 seemed more like scrambled eggs right out of the shell.
Is there any information for the future to gather from this. I had hoped for better % with my own eggs.
Could they have been too old? I don’t remember when I started gathering them. Thanks for any help. By the way, there are 5 hens and 1 rooster.
View attachment 2076201View attachment 2076202View attachment 2076203

I have read conflicting information about this. Some say that shipping will make them seem like they are infertile-- usually from sellers that ship and do not want to admit that some of the eggs are not fertilized.

Most of the time, if you see eggs like yours-- and of the ones I see an ovum in-- have no development, they are not fertilized. The yolk will not change but the ovum will develop until development stops. If more that a couple of days, you will see veins.

It does not look like theses egg were fertilized

 

[BlackArtCreations]

Such a tiny Serama ❤

 

[beth1004]

I have read conflicting information about this. Some say that shipping will make them seem like they are infertile-- usually from sellers that ship and do not want to admit that some of the eggs are not fertilized.

Most of the time, if you see eggs like yours-- and of the ones I see an ovum in-- have no development, they are not fertilized. The yolk will not change but the ovum will develop until development stops. If more that a couple of days, you will see veins.

It does not look like theses egg were fertilized

So is the ratio of 5 hens to 1 rooster too much?

 

[Pensmaster]

So is the ratio of 5 hens to 1 rooster too much?

5 hens to one rooster is fine. How old are the birds.

 

[Chicka_deee]

So is the ratio of 5 hens to 1 rooster too much?

5 hens to one rooster is fine. How old are the birds.

I believe you should have for every 10 hens 1 rooster for a happier flock. Those 5 hens might get overbred and hurt.

 

[Pensmaster]

I believe you should have for every 10 hens 1 rooster for a happier flock. Those 5 hens might get overbred and hurt.

Never been a problem here. I keep 4 to 1 and all are fine.

 

[Chicka_deee]

Never been a problem here. I keep 4 to 1 and all are fine.

Then it might just be my rooster that is really rough with my hens

 

[ronott1]

View attachment 2076216
Such a tiny Serama ❤

So very cute!

 

[ronott1]

So is the ratio of 5 hens to 1 rooster too much?

No it should be fine. Roosters have their favorites and will often not mate with all of the hens