Could early hatching be bred?

[chickNjake]

Ok, I was thinking about how some breeds of chickens hatch a day or so earlier than normal, and how impatient I am with hatching eggs.

And I was wondering if the breeds that hatch early, like Japaneese, ect. could be bred and then incubate the eggs and simply take the earliest hatchers and then breed them together and so on, could this work? could someone, in theory breed for chicks that hatch on day 19, 18, 17, whatever?

and also what breed hatches earliest? -thanks

 

[ibpboo]

Interesting, but

The Japanese are a smaller breed though, right? So that may be why they hatch a little earlier. Kind of like a dog or a cat being preg way shorter of a time than say a horse or something? But, I really don't know.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
I'm not sure either, but...

My first Silkies were from Ideal Hatchery. Their chicks routinely hatched on Day 19 (in the incubator and under broody hens).
All the chicks from crosses with the Ideal Silkies also hatched on Day 19 or 20.
It's pretty much a given now with any of my crosses that have those Ideal Silkies in their ancestry --- that if it hasn't hatched by late Day 20, it isn't going to hatch.
I have not intentionally selected for 'early hatchers'. It just happened.

I remember reading somewhere not to use chicks from 'late hatchers' for breeding but I can't remember why except that it is undesirable.

Lisa

 

[WestKnollAmy]

You don't want to lose the quality of your birds by only selcting for early hatching ability. There are many other things to consider in having really great chickens besides the early hatch.
I notice the Araucanas hatch at day 19 or 20 but I only select for the best characteristics as to whom I will breed them with.

 

[chickNjake]

I do think it would be a project worth trying! All I'd have to do is pick the earliest hatchers, I think I'll try that with the eggs in the bator now, they're utility white Rocks I got to fill the bator along with 5 Araucana eggs from amazondoc

I was thinking since the Rocks are more of a utility breed, early hatching would be a trait people would desire

what would be good way to "mark" the earliest hatchers?