Can I incubate eggs from a hen just starting to lay?

[fresheggs4u]

I have two RIR rooster and 6 Barred Rock hens. The hens started laying last week. I would like to start producing black sex links for spring. I think that is the right mix to get them. My question is ..... is it ok to set the new eggs from a hen that has just started to lay or should i wait. I cracked one and they are fertile. I would like to start soon so that i will have laying sexlinks by spring.

Thanks!

 

[canada-goose]

You can do it. I can't remember the problem at the moment. Poorer hatch rates or something.

 

[muddstopper]

I dont like to set pullet eggs, but many people do. My reason for not setting the pullet eggs has to do with size of the eggshell. Using a small egg is like stuffing a mattress in a pillow case. you might get it to fit, but you wont have any room left for anything else. Chicks need room to develope inside the eggshell and if the shell is to small, you endup with deformed chicks or chicks that stop developing mid incubation. If you are going to set pullet eggs, make sure you only set the largest eggs and dont set elongated or misformed eggs. The elongated or misformed eggs might hatch, but the chances of getting deformed chicks is much greater than if you set properly formed eggs. I prefer to wait at least 6 weeks after the hens start laying before incubating any of their eggs. Thats just my rule, some might agree and some will disagree.

 

[mulia24]

yes, that's possible to do it.

but some people here report low rate of success, as for me i don't know since i haven't test it before.

 

[rarebreedeggs4u]

I have 6 Partridge Penedesenca pullet eggs due to hatch on Friday, so I'll let you know I orginally set 10 eggs, so we're at 60% viability now. These girls had been laying for about 3-4 weeks when I set these eggs and the eggs are nice sized too. I wanted to get a jump start on Spring layers too, that's why I set these. I have 2 more groups set. It will be interesting to see if the viability rates go up week by week. I did set my Wheaten girls' eggs just a week after they started laying, since they were a few weeks behing the Partridge girls. That also will be interesting to see

 

[mulia24]

i wish i can heard experience from first egg being sit by the hen / using bator, not the last week, two week or three week ago, just curios about the hatch result of first egg laid by hen.

until then, lets wait for this one.

 

[alohachickens]

I'm working on a breeding project, so pretty desperate to get things going - terrified of having an "accident" or losing one of the only TWO good hens that show the most promise! Trying to create an "American" version of Swedish Spotted/Flower Hens.

So I set five eggs from my hen "Kona" who just started laying. Four of the five hatched, all looked healthy, but lost one the first night despite plenty of wamth and food.

Still, three out of five is not bad for her very first eggs! Got more in the 'bator today, including three more of Kona's . . . . crossing my fingers, no pips or peeps yet . . . .

Alohachicken

http://alohachickens.webs.com/

 

[neferset]

I set something like 15 or 20 pullet eggs. A few quit on me. A few suffered from my low humidity gulping all the liquid out of my incubator. Most hatched. One hatched upside down because he was too big to turn in the tiny shell.

(Edited for bad grammar from my sleepy brain.)

 

[MIKE555444]

I just had a boody hatch out 7 of 11 small Golden Comets pullet eggs. They had no problem with the egg size and EVERY egg that was fertile hatched without problems.

I opened all of the unhatched eggs and they were not fertile at all.

The chicks are a week old and healthy

 

[fresheggs4u]

thanks for all your comments. I think I will give it a try and see what happens.

I hope to set the incubator with about 30 eggs by the end of the week. The delay may cause me trouble as well.

Thanks!