Embarking on ambitious eggsperiment

[Tropical Chook]

Having moved to Thailand several years ago, I have eventually started raising chickens, and like so many others, I soon became hooked. Now, the biggest problem I face here, is that I cannot get my hands on nice breeds. Yes, Thailand is a global force in the poultry industry, but I don't want artificial chickens, and as far as I'm concerned, that's exactly what broilers are. Thailand is also big time into egg production, but once again, I don't want engineered hens. All I want is a few different breeds over and above the funny looking "run around" chicken you see all over the place here. Of course I do have some of these strange looking birds, and yes they do give me eggs, and yes, I will certainly keeps some because they are ideal if you're looking for a chicken which requires no feeding.

So, how do I get a specific breed of chicken when they seem to be non-existent in this country. In the end, I have turned to Ebay. I now have six fertile Light Sussex eggs making a 9000+ kilometer trip from the other side of the world. Some say there's no chance of any hatching, but I believe there will be some that hatch, and fortunately for me, these local Thai hens will go broody as soon as they see a cluster of eggs in a nest. They really cannot help themselves. It's quite amazing really because if I put a few eggs in one of the nest boxes, a hen will be sitting on them within 12 hours at the most. When I take the eggs away, they simply leave the nest and continue going about their daily business.....lol.

So, the question is, will any of the six eggs actually hatch after such a long trip? I'll be sure to keep you all informed

Lastly, if you've ever had Light Sussex chickens, what did/do you think of them?

Thanks for all the replies which are bound to follow

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Never give up hope on life. All you can do is wait (and candle

) . I have my fingers crossed for you!!

 

[my4ladies]

good luck!

 

[Delta3013]

Hope they hatch, and candle every so often to make sure of progression. Good luck!

 

[mrslb333]

Good luck. Hopefully a few will make it

 

[mothersin2ition]

Yes, good luck! And be sure to keep us posted!!

 

[Tropical Chook]

Thanks for all the good wishes. I figure that so long as the eggs arrive within about 10 days, I should have some chance at getting a few to hatch. Also, I'll be using a broody rather than an incubator, and from what I've read on here, that should help a little bit as well.

Of course if this works, it also means I'll have to either build a second coop and run, or else I'll have to make the existing one bigger. My original plan was to have only four or five hens for eggs, but now I have six hens, a teenage rooster, and eight babies which are around two months old. Now I'm trying to explain to my wife that we need more than just the one coop, but instead, we need a breakfast coop for those hens who supply us with our eggs, we need a lunch and dinner coop for raising some birds for meat, we need a men-only coop for keeping all the excess roosters until processing time, and lastly, we need a coop for raising the young chicks. Where does it end, because those Light Sussex may require a home of their own as well, and of course our two ducks are already complaining that they want a place of their own because they intend starting a family soon

Ah well, it's all great fun so I'm not complaining

 

[Kedreeva]

The trip itself shouldn't kill them unless they go through x-ray, freeze, or begin incubation during transit. If I'm not completely retarded, Thailand is experiencing summer, which means it's possible that the eggs will have started incubation on their trip. Since you are using a broody, you may want to give them a few 'dud' eggs to sit on before they arrive, and swap them- that way there's no wait time between arrival and the correct temps.

Best of luck with them! I hope you mail carriers are kind to the package along the way

 

[mothersin2ition]

Quote:

I love it!! I wonder if I explained it that way to my husband, if he'd let me expand as well?!

 

[Tropical Chook]

Quote:
My wife just thinks I've lost the plot completely, but as long as I bring some eggs in each day, she feels we're onto a winner...