Chicks dying at time of hatching.

[NNYchick]

I actually do have a heat lamp from this past winter that's a good idea. I'm going to section her off with some plywood or cardboard so the other hens don't bother her. They like stealing her nest when she's not there. I'll show you where she is right now. My coop is I think 6 feet W, 9-10 feet L and 5 feet H. As you can see I'm not a very handy woman lol

I live in NY too. I am in northern NY near Watertown. I have had silkie broody hatch eggs and raise chicks in my unheated coop in Feb and March with temps sub zero. I would not but a heat lamp in the coop this time of year, hen will more than likely get over heated. I do watch the hatch closely for a couple days before and during to make sure any that scoot out from under the hen I can tuck back under until mama is out of broody hatching trance and into chick rearing mode.

 

[auroaSfarm]

I live in NY too. I am in northern NY near Watertown. I have had silkie broody hatch eggs and raise chicks in my unheated coop in Feb and March with temps sub zero. I would not but a heat lamp in the coop this time of year, hen will more than likely get over heated. I do watch the hatch closely for a couple days before and during to make sure any that scoot out from under the hen I can tuck back under until mama is out of broody hatching trance and into chick rearing mode.

Thank you, how often should I check on the eggs and candle them?

 

[NNYchick]

Thank you, how often should I check on the eggs and candle them?

Under my broody I candle the eggs before I set them to be sure there are no cracks I cant see, then mark them so I know what eggs I put there and remove any unmarked eggs that my other hens may have laid that day and between day 7-10 candle just to be sure none are clears to avoid any rotten egg explosions under her. Around day 19 I start watching for chicks that may have scooted out just a few times a day. I try to give broody the eggs so my hatch date is a Saturday that way I go out every couple hours and peek at the nest box to be sure no chicks are out from under her.
Where did you have your eggs shipped from?

 

[auroaSfarm]

Under my broody I candle the eggs before I set them to be sure there are no cracks I cant see, then mark them so I know what eggs I put there and remove any unmarked eggs that my other hens may have laid that day and between day 7-10 candle just to be sure none are clears to avoid any rotten egg explosions under her. Around day 19 I start watching for chicks that may have scooted out just a few times a day. I try to give broody the eggs so my hatch date is a Saturday that way I go out every couple hours and peek at the nest box to be sure no chicks are out from under her.
Where did you have your eggs shipped from?

I'm getting my eggs shipped from a person from Facebook. So far she had 100% fertilization and hatching guaranteed with her shipments, which I know 100% isn't true because of different P.O I'm going to be getting the eggs saturday-Sunday. She said she packaged them in tons of bubble wrap so I'm praying they come here safely!!

 

[NNYchick]

I'm getting my eggs shipped from a person from Facebook. So far she had 100% fertilization and hatching guaranteed with her shipments, which I know 100% isn't true because of different P.O I'm going to be getting the eggs saturday-Sunday. She said she packaged them in tons of bubble wrap so I'm praying they come here safely!!

How far away are they coming from? I've never attempted shipped eggs under a broody as I read they should be hatched upright so the air cell can settle in the top. But then I have only tried shipped eggs once (last month) and they came from Alabama, not sure if I will do shipped eggs again. Here is a link to a shipped egg hatch along that is active. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/adventures-in-incubating-shipped-eggs.1243562/

 

[auroaSfarm]

How far away are they coming from? I've never attempted shipped eggs under a broody as I read they should be hatched upright so the air cell can settle in the top. But then I have only tried shipped eggs once (last month) and they came from Alabama, not sure if I will do shipped eggs again. Here is a link to a shipped egg hatch along that is active. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/adventures-in-incubating-shipped-eggs.1243562/

They're coming from Ohio

 

[Jbently28]

I've never had any shipped eggs but I've read tons of posts about how they are notorious for detached air cells no matter how well they are shipped. I've been considering getting some duck eggs as I really am wanting to add some more Welsh Harlequins. I will be using an incubator to hatch them though. Everything I've read says to store them upright for the first 48 hours after receiving them to allow the air cell to settle. You have a much better chance of the air cells reattaching if they are hatched upright.

 

[auroaSfarm]

I've never had any shipped eggs but I've read tons of posts about how they are notorious for detached air cells no matter how well they are shipped. I've been considering getting some duck eggs as I really am wanting to add some more Welsh Harlequins. I will be using an incubator to hatch them though. Everything I've read says to store them upright for the first 48 hours after receiving them to allow the air cell to settle. You have a much better chance of the air cells reattaching if they are hatched upright.

I heard your only supposed to do it UP to 24 hours because the fertitlity rate will decrease?

 

[Jbently28]

I heard your only supposed to do it UP to 24 hours because the fertitlity rate will decrease?

I wonder if anyone on here could advise as I'm not personally experienced with shipped eggs? It would be nice to know for my own sake as well.

 

[auroaSfarm]

I

I wonder if anyone on here could advise as I'm not personally experienced with shipped eggs? It would be nice to know for my own sake as well.

if you were me do you think I should get more than 6 eggs? Since they're shipped and things go wrong? I was thinking maybe getting 6 silkies and 10 mille fleurs. but if 8/10 of them hatch that's a lot of new chickens I'll be getting I already have 6. Hmmmm