Anyone setting eggs starting July 15 -July 22?

[TwistOfFate]

ha, you think that's bad! I borrowed an incubator two weeks ago, just bought mine, ordered 8 polish and 12 cochin eggs, waiting on some local chicks and 11 keets coming in the mail, and have a bator full of chicks due in a week and a half!! nice to know I'm not the only one with a chick addiction

 

[Jeanette56]

Have you read any of the articles online about how to take care of and hatch shipped eggs?
There are several things that can be done to increase your chances.

Here is a link to one of the articles - http://www.heavensentranch.com/incubationtechniques.htm
Link to a BYC post - https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ual-byc-easter-hatch-a-long/3720#post_8555432
http://www.squidoo.com/mailed-shipp...rtilized-hatching-chicken-egg#module154586108

If this is new info to you it might help!
Quote:

 

[thumper4269]

I have 2 incubators, going to use one for lock down in 4 days , the 2nd batch should be going into lockdown 2 days after that one is done and the new eggs will set and rock until they are ready.. thia is only my 2nd attempt at hatching.. did some local eggs and got 5 out of 10.. would ve gotten more if I had left the lid on more. lesson learned. i have the styrofoam incubators and am working on figuring out how to keep the humidity up. I am using the dry incubating method and think my air cells look pretty good this time. Those were really good articles... hopefully my shipped eggs dont get too abused...

 

[silkiemelon]

I just candled again, since it's day 7.

Well, I started with 12 eggs, and now I'm down to 5. And one of them doesn't look too good.

Uggg! Why are silkies so hard to hatch?

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Ugggg... Now you are making me worry about my eggs! We are at day 6 over here...

 

[silkiemelon]

Have you candled them yet?

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

No. They are under a broody and I didn't want to disturb her. :/. The lady I bought from said she normaly has a 75% hatch rate so I wasn't too worried.

 

[silkiemelon]

Well that's good.
In my old incubator I get about a 45% hatching rate...and even right now I'm looking at a 30% hatching rate.
I was hoping to have 12 little fluffy silkies running around, but I guess not.

Broody hens seem to be more efficient though. I really should just do that, but I enjoy the thrill of hatching them myself too much.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Well, no reason you can't have the best of both worlds. Keep some broodies and encourage them like crazy and keep your incubator going whenever. (thinking like this is what gets me in trouble )

 

[silkiemelon]

Yes, it will probably get me into trouble too, thinking like that

But it's a great idea, I'll have to try it! Two hatching sources at once! (and then I'll be truly obsessed).