Are extra large eggs usually quitters?

[krcote]

Just completed my first hatch (!) and got 24 chicks out of 31 mutt eggs. I think I did pretty well for my first time. Of the 7 that didn't hatch, 5 were very very large buff orp X's, and 2 EE x's. I thought I had read somewhere that both of these types were difficult to hatch. I opened them all up and the very large eggs all had 99% developed chicks- maybe a day away from pipping? The EE's were smaller and less developed. 3 or so of the very large eggs did hatch a few days ago without a problem but for the others I was wondering, are extremely large eggs difficult to hatch?

 

[jossanne]

Haven't hatched any yet here, so I can't answer. But I'll bump you up!

 

[conny63malies]

Sometimes the huge eggs are double yolkers/twins and those are extremly hard to hatch. THey usually die in the shell.

 

[al6517]

That is first time I have heard of that so I am interested to hear what's up. With them being so far along in development I wonder what happened.

AL

 

[lilshadow]

I have hatched large eggs before, no problems. I don't think they are.

 

[Mahonri]

Perhaps you could let the larger ones go a little longer?

 

[william9792]

i myself do not put eggs that are bigger or small for this just makes for a hard hatch, don't know why but every time i try one that is that way it does not hatch or if it does something is wrong with the chick, and i hatch about 200 a month. william

 

[krcote]

Thanks William, with hatching over 200 a month I guess you would know! Still don't understand why but I think I will try some of the XL ones again this next hatch and see if it really is a trend.

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

i hatch eggs all year and i know the smaller eggs have smaller chicks i dont know about large eggs never paid no mind

 

[twigg]

Buff Orpington eggs are not hard to hatch.

Generally, setting eggs that are either undersize or oversize is not recommended. At best, hatch rates are likely to suffer.