Dominique Thread!

[Jungleexplorer]

How old can eggs be and still get a good hatch rate? I dont have a lot of birds but would like to have enough eggs to fill the incubator. What is the best way to store eggs before incubating? I was thinking cool dark place like a basement?

Your best hatch rates will be up to 7 days after the egg is laid. You can still get decent hatch rates up to 10 days and even two weeks, but within the first seven days is the best. Keep the egg at a stable 70 degrees.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

My hen has started laying in the nest!

 

[Jungleexplorer]

My first dominique chick.

 

[centrarchid]

How old can eggs be and still get a good hatch rate? I dont have a lot of birds but would like to have enough eggs to fill the incubator. What is the best way to store eggs before incubating? I was thinking cool dark place like a basement?

To avoid wasting incubator space, 10 to 14 days OK but seven days or less is better. Older eggs can still hatch if properly stored but hatch rate drops very fast.

 

[tgooberbutt]

Super cute!!! and I'm glad you got her to lay in the nest - how did you finally do it?

My first dominique chick.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

Super cute!!! and I'm glad you got her to lay in the nest - how did you finally do it?

Thanks. I just kept her locked out of the roost area and she had other choice but to lay in the nest or on the ground. She stopped laying for about 9 days, but she started back up and laid in the nest. I have opened the roost again, so hopefully she will continue to lay in the nest.

 

[buffalogal]

(Getting in line for my cigar) Congratulations! It's a boy!

My first dominique chick.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

(Getting in line for my cigar) Congratulations! It's a boy!

How can you tell it is boy at this age? I need to learn how to do this.

 

[Masonicflock]

Any Dominique Breeders round TN?

 

[buffalogal]

The president of the breed club is in Difficult, Tennessee.
Dominique Club of America website; http://www.dominiqueclub.org/meetus.php