first time incubator question

[mychickens]

The instructions to the incubator say to sterilize the eggs before I put them in the incubator. Does anyone else do this?

 

[Pyxis]

I definitely don't. Some people like to dip them in an Oxine solution, but I personally don't find that necessary.

 

[mychickens]

I definitely don't. Some people like to dip them in an Oxine solution, but I personally don't find that necessary.

Thank you! I am nervous about incubating. wondering if I should just see if Guinea will go broody or incubate them?

 

[Pyxis]

Guineas usually do go broody after they have built up a clutch What are you hatching?

 

[mychickens]

I am going to hatch guinea eggs. I am pretty sure I have 2 guinea hens, they both lay in same spot and have a clutch of about 30 eggs by now. I really want more guineas so I got an incubator hoping to have better chance of these hatching.

 

[Pyxis]

Maybe you can take some to try yourself and leave the rest for the hens? That way hopefully you definitely end up with some keets.

I just did a few guinea hatches myself and have one more batch due to hatch around the 25th.

 

[mychickens]

Thats a good idea. should I use the most recently laid eggs? have you ever had a guinea hen successfully hatch eggs and raise them?

 

[Pyxis]

I haven't, but that's only because I've only ever had one female, lol. The rest of mine have always been males! Trying to change that with the hatches this year.

From what I hear they generally do well hatching, but may have some troubles raising the keets after since keets are fragile as babies.

 

[mychickens]

I always seem to have more males than females also. Well you have given me something to think about. My last couple of Guinea hens laid eggs in the woods and were taken by a fox before hatching, but these guineas are actually laying in the coop so I can close it and protect them if they actually go broody.