Fertility from older hen's eggs?

[Mrs. K]

In mammals if a female is older, it increases the chances of birth defects. Is this true of chicken's eggs? Should one only choose eggs from birds that are older than pullets but not more than 2 years or 3 years?

I have some lovely green egg laying birds that are going on 3. They have stopped laying for the winter, but I am expecting them to start in again within the next few weeks...can I hatch those eggs?

Mrs K

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have hatched eggs from older hens and haven't seen any problems from it. 3 years isn't too old in chickens. I have hatched from 6 and 7 year old hens, though not large enough quantities to be an expert on the issue.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

I am just spitballing this, as I've gone around to a few .edu sites, with no luck on any answers... however, I think with the slowing of production, the fertility would drop as well. So, say your hen, at 2 years old, would provide you 10 out of 12 eggs that would hatch, perhaps at 3 years old, it would drop to maybe 6-8 out of 12 would hatch.

Plus, you'd need to factor in the age of your rooster (you can milk them to get a sample to look at fertility under a microscope: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/FAQs.html#InfertileRoosters) and whether or not the rooster is mating with your older hens.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Of course you can hatch from older hens. Fertility issues would be old cock birds.

 

[lazy gardener]

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. In the case of an older bird. If I wanted to keep her genes going in my flock, I'd gather every single one of her eggs and hatch it!

 

[sourland]

Some older hens produce less viable eggs, some do not. Many breeding programs advocate using cockerels on older hens and roosters on pullets/young hens. I would set some of their eggs and expect the best.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

In mammals if a female is older, it increases the chances of birth defects. Is this true of chicken's eggs? Should one only choose eggs from birds that are older than pullets but not more than 2 years or 3 years?

I have some lovely green egg laying birds that are going on 3. They have stopped laying for the winter, but I am expecting them to start in again within the next few weeks...can I hatch those eggs?

Mrs K

Good morning Mrs K!

I also thought that about really young layers. But since I started hatching from younger birds, my birth defect have not increased but my fertility in the pullet eggs is lower.

One article I use as a resource states the difference in older donor flock verses younger eggs is the PH inside them.(mind you they are talking 30 weeks old verses 50) Younger layers have lower PH which actually decreases the hatchability BUT the ph inside the egg continues to increase as it ages. So they say holding young flock donors eggs for at least 4 days before setting helps because the ph increases with egg age but only to a certain point at which it seems to stabilize.
http://www.hubbardbreeders.com/media/incubation_guide_english__030374800_0945_07012015.pdf

In fact I know some of my Marans have molted at least twice... and I'm gonna hatch up a storm before it's too late!

If I end up with deformities or weakness... I will cull. I have to cull sometimes anyways whether I like it or not. So I decided not to let fear mongers about age deter me from trying. I would think hatchability would decrease more than deformities increase. The genetics are still the same.

I WOULD make sure they get around 22% protein (it's the amino acids also) for the BEST hatch rate possible. To me nutrition is key and 16% of most layer don't cut it for breeding here, note my birds are dual purpose breeds. But 22% was shown to give better hatch rates in studies. I will have to see if I can find my source for that.

I think you can do it, happy hatching!

 

[song of joy]

I have some lovely green egg laying birds that are going on 3. They have stopped laying for the winter, but I am expecting them to start in again within the next few weeks...can I hatch those eggs?

Absolutely! Since you asked I have a story to share.

I have an EE that is a good layer of beautiful blue-green eggs. Last year - when she was 36 months old - she deposited 4 eggs in an "oops" nest that was hidden on the ground under the ramp to the coop. She laid these eggs between July 7 and 11. Incubation (by a different hen) began on July 17, which meant the EE eggs were sitting on the ground for 6 to 10 days in non-optimal conditions (completely unregulated temperatures and humidity). All 4 of these eggs hatched on August 7. Three of the four are pullets (dominique X EE crosses), one of which just began laying beautiful olive eggs last week! I think I'll be setting more of her eggs this year, even though she'll be four years old.

The results of this hatch were completed unexpected, especially considering the age of the hen, the poor conditions and length of time the eggs sat outside waiting for incubation, the 100% hatch rate, the number of pullets that hatched, and the fact that - with the exception of these 4 eggs, she has never before or since laid eggs outside the coop. I attribute this joyful blessing to the God who sustains and protects my family and my flock.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

I have 2 blue/gold EE hens. 4 yrs old last march. I collected their eggs since I finally got a rooster, I collected 7 eggs from each hen, All 7 hatched and did fine from one hen, and she had 4 roos and 3 pullets,( which are laying green eggs now), the other hen same age, all hers died in shell, some just about a week in and 2 at about 18-19 days incubation. I think you should just give it a try and see what you come up with. It is always a learning experience. I got 7 that I would not have otherwise had. I don't know why one's eggs died and one's were all good, but I like the pullets I have and the one Blue Roo I have from it. Good luck.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree Song of Joy, sometimes God just blesses you. And to the rest of you, I think I will set those eggs, just waiting for spring.