Fair Eggs--Will they hatch?

[Nutmeg15]

Hi all! Last night I went to a local fair...and I ended up coming home with 6 free eggs.

At the poultry exhibition, there were many exhibitors selling fair-hatched chicks, young hens, etc. There was also a table covered in fertilized eggs that had been exhibited over the week. One of my Buff Orpington hens, Peaches, has been broody for almost a week, so I already had eggs on the brain--but I wasn't really planning on bringing home any. I asked one of the exhibitors out of curiosity how much they were selling the eggs for. Since they had been unheated for several days, he pulled out a cardboard box and said he'd just give me some for free.

The breeds are Lakenvelder, Silver Leghorn, Polish, Silver Phoenix, SSH, and another that wasn't marked on the egg.

The exhibitor said that if I'm lucky, maybe 2 out of the 6 will hatch. I'm considering this to be an experiment, so I'll be happy if any hatch but not too disappointed if they don't. Peaches has accepted them so far--hopefully she'll take good care of them. I have enough space for more chickens if they hatch so I'm not too worried about space.

From your experiences, what is the likelihood that any of these chicks will hatch?

 

[AlleysChicks]

Did you candle them? So are they halfway developed or what?

 

[Nutmeg15]

Did you candle them? So are they halfway developed or what?

I haven't candled them yet--it was late when I got home so I stuck them right under Peaches. Apparently they were laid right before the fair, which lasted about 5 days. I'll be checking on and candling them once I'm sure she's settled.

 

[AlleysChicks]

I haven't candled them yet--it was late when I got home so I stuck them right under Peaches. Apparently they were laid right before the fair, which lasted about 5 days. I'll be checking on and candling them once I'm sure she's settled.

Well I hope Peaches gets babies! Maybe they will all hatch!

 

[SueT]

Let us know how it goes! Good luck!

 

[Nutmeg15]

Well I hope Peaches gets babies! Maybe they will all hatch!

Let us know how it goes! Good luck!

Thank you!!

 

[Nutmeg15]

Tonight I candled just a few of the 6 eggs so that I wouldn’t disrupt Peaches too much, and I have some results! It’s been 7 days since I initially placed the eggs under her, and out of the 4 that I candled, the Lakenvelder egg definitely shows signs of an embryo growing. Out of the other 3 that I candled tonight, I could see air cells in all of them, though I’m not sure if that is good or bad for the number of days they’ve been under the broody hen.

Thoughts?

 

[AlleysChicks]

Glad you got a baby growing! Air cells should always be there. Candle again in a couple days and any clear (no development) eggs get rid of.

 

[Nutmeg15]

Two weeks have passed since I placed the eggs under Peaches, and so far there are some really promising results. Last night I candled the eggs again. One was still completely clear with no air cell after 2 weeks, so it went in the compost. Another had mysteriously disappeared, which I assume means Peaches kicked it out of the next at some point, probably for being rotten. But out of the four eggs left, ALL were completely dark inside with visible veins and air cells!

I was worried only one would be developing after I checked them last week, since only the Lakenvelder egg showed signs of advanced development. I’m glad I just let Peaches do her thing!

Today, I’ll be fixing up one of my smaller, separate coops for mama Peaches & babies, and heading to Tractor Supply for chick starter. This coming weekend, we might have some chicks hatching.

 

[SueT]