Another refridgerated egg experiment

[ButchGood]

I really do have enough chicks this spring...I really do. Buuuut, I just started raising Old English Game Bantams. I have a pair of silver duckwings. That hen hatched out 3. My little roo was then so lonely that I bought 4 OEGB hens that I have not identified to keep him company. They got comfortable very fast and started laying. Ive been getting 3 a day for a few days. I cracked one and they are fertile. Ive been saving the eggs in a little wine refrigerator. The temperature holds pretty steady at 53.5 degrees. I have 15 eggs right now. Now I have a big ole' fluffy Buff Orpington that went broody. I set her up in a broody pen on some glass eggs. If she's holding tight I'm putting all my OEGB eggs under her. That should be 18 eggs. They are between 8 days old to fresh. Anyone else try anything similar, I'd like to know your results. I'll keep you posted and take pictures as things develop.

 

[loveourbirds]

I don't know a lot about wine refrigerators, but most refrigerators lack humidity eggs need. they also seem to rob oxygen from the air.

regardless of this, some of the eggs should survive just fine.

I usually put my eggs in a cooler area in the house. they can be stored at 75 degrees and still hatch, if they have been turned each day and aren't over a week old.

let me know how it goes.

brian

 

[ButchGood]

From what I've been reading the Ideal temperature for storing hatching eggs is 55 to 60 degrees at about 75% humidity. That was encouraging. My little wine fridge is at 53.5 That's fairly close to Ideal temps. The humidity is at about 55%. The fridge does not regulate humidity, but at least its not arid conditions. 10 days should be max for storage from what I've read. These eggs vary in age. The oldest is close to 10 days old, maybe 2 to 4 eggs. The hens only produce 1 egg a day for the first few days, its only been the past 5 days or so that they have been producing 3 eggs a day. So most will be 5 days old or less, and the remainder up to 10 days. Now if they are all fertile remains to be seen.
When I checked on my broody this morning she was settled in on those glass eggs. She looked comfortable. So I'll set all my Bantam eggs when I get home tonight. I think I'll post the first pictures of this experiment tonight.

 

[loveourbirds]

you should be ok, im curious as to how this is going to turn out. if it works well I may have to pick up a wine cooler.

 

[ButchGood]

They are all set. Broody hen settled on 16 eggs from various OEGB. Now the wait begins.

 

[ButchGood]

The contributors

 

[loveourbirds]

there are a few colorations of old English that I have not seen. this is just an opinion. I think those two reddish color hens are quail oe, they could possibly be black breasted red oe. keep in mind this is hard to do over a computer. here are two pictures of some oe I have. the first one is a quail old English hen. the second is a trio of black breasted red. the last is kind of blurry, but its a lighter colored black breasted red hen.

 

[ButchGood]

That's exactly what I was thinking. BBR or Quail. I also think I have a brassy black. Not seen. And the other Black in the picture has a little brassy splash. I have been really enjoying them. Very curious and friendly.

 

[loveourbirds]

after posting those pics, I went out and looked at mine a little closer. I have one b.b. red hen that matches those hens pretty close. she is a hen that I picked up special for cockerel line.

have you bred oe for a while?

 

[ButchGood]

after posting those pics, I went out and looked at mine a little closer. I have one b.b. red hen that matches those hens pretty close. she is a hen that I picked up special for cockerel line.

have you bred oe for a while?

No, OEGB are brand new for me. Went to an action a 2 months ago. I saw a pair of silver duckwings and had to have them. Now I have 5 hens and the silver duckwing cock. Most of the eggs from the last 4 hens I picked up are probably not fertilized by my cock. I hope at least half of them hatch. It will be interesting what I get.