EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[Pensmaster]

Good morning. Rained all night and wind is howling. Still have power though.

 

[kajira]

No idea I get some from time to time.

Have you ever tried to hatch one??? LOL My kid asked if we could try.

 

[Pensmaster]

If they weren't being fed a layer feed with extra calcium, I would agree with you. They've also had oyster shell out there, too. It's random. I'll get 2-3 good eggs, then find a soft-shelled one.

I'm pretty sure my RIR is the one who's doing it. She's laying regular eggs, then throws a soft one. She's our alpha, and is the one who eats all the layer feed and any supplements/treats out there.

Oyster shells are fed free choice and they go through it regularly. Still get them from time to time.
When I find one it's usually one in three months so far less regular than yours

 

[Pensmaster]

Have you ever tried to hatch one??? LOL My kid asked if we could try.

No I haven't I would think bacteria and moisture loss would be too great and there might be a genetic problem mixed in with that as well.

As an experiment maybe.... maybe not

 

[kajira]

Oyster shells are fed free choice and they go through it regularly. Still get them from time to time.
When I find one it's usually one in three months so far less regular than yours

This just started happening a couple weeks ago - she's the only one who's done it too - So, I don't know. I'm almost wondering if it's because of the weather changes - she skipped a few days of laying when it got REALLY cold - then started throwing the soft eggs when it got hot again.

I'm guessing it's just a fluke. the only thing that's weird - is I'm also getting her NORMAL egg, less then 24 hours apart.... so is it possible she's laying 2 eggs in a 24 hour span and that's why one's soft?

 

[kwhites634]

Quote: I had a pan of oyster shells under my elevated coop for a couple months, & I couldn't swear that they ever ate any of it. I finally tossed it after they kept throwing dirt up in it. I was feeding nothing but free choice layer crumbles at the time; I guess their systems just didn't need it.

 

[Pensmaster]

This just started happening a couple weeks ago - she's the only one who's done it too - So, I don't know. I'm almost wondering if it's because of the weather changes - she skipped a few days of laying when it got REALLY cold - then started throwing the soft eggs when it got hot again.

I'm guessing it's just a fluke. the only thing that's weird - is I'm also getting her NORMAL egg, less then 24 hours apart.... so is it possible she's laying 2 eggs in a 24 hour span and that's why one's soft?

I had a hen that laid green eggs once. She would lay twice a day 2-3 times a week so it is possible. No soft shelled eggs from her. She also doesn't lay anymore.

 

[Pensmaster]

I had a pan of oyster shells under my elevated coop for a couple months, & I couldn't swear that they ever ate any of it. I finally tossed it after they kept throwing dirt up in it. I was feeding nothing but free choice layer crumbles at the time; I guess their systems just didn't need it.

Could be your dirt has more in it than mine just a guess. I buy the oyster shells in 50 pound bags and I've gone through at least 4 bags that I remember could be more. I see them eating out of the bucket regularly. And the feed has it in it as well.

 

[Akrnaf2]

 

 

And that before the actual damage to the coops, and other equipment.

I don't envy him.

It would be very hard to start over with a lesser breed. What types are available

We here are actually isolated by law, and by geography, so EVERY breed that we have here came by ingenuity and bravery of individuals. I told him that he should be a specialist and focus only on 3 breeds that he have some breeding stock lefet.

Light sussex , Buff sussex , SL Barnevelders. The most beautiful breed in the world IMO!

Are you saying that private ownership of chickens is legally forbidden, though obviously not enforced, or are you talking about the original importations?

Basically it is almost impossible to import even one egg! ( although the agricultural ministry have imported last year almost 100,000,000 eggs from Turkey, Ukraine, Spain and a lot of them where infected with Salmonella! So f.... them! )

 

[daxigait]

So is

I haven't had a roadkill moose in years.  I use to get one every year, but the moose population decreased and people started driving slower so no roadkill.

Moose is just so  good!

I had it growing up. I like elk, and love antelope.