Getting Fertilized Eggs

[jdllns]

Hello all,
This will be our first time hatching chicken eggs. We have purchased an incubator that manages temp, humidity and turning. We have an egg candler (not sure how to use it) and now we need to locate fertilized eggs. We have heard that shipping them reduces their chances of survival (and it is very costly). A friend in town has a rooster and said we could have some of her eggs. We want 24 eggs. How likely is it that we will get fertilized eggs from her? She has four hens and one rooster. Is there any way to tell if they are fertile without cracking them open? What percentage of eggs should we expect to hatch? Should we get our eggs from this friend and if so how to we care for them as we transition them to the incubator? How long can she hold them until she has 24 for us? How should they be kept before they go in the incubator? Should I just buy the fertilized eggs from Murray McMurray Hatchery?
We are setting the incubator up in my daughter's fourth grade classroom so the kids can experience the process.
Thank you for any education you have the patience to offer me.

 

[lazy gardener]

You will find answers to every single one of your questions, and a hundred more questions that you have not yet asked in the learning center. Look for an article titled "Hatching eggs 101". It should be required reading before any one ever plugs in an incubator. I've been hatching for 5 years, and review it every year before I plug in my home made bator. Don't trust the thermometer and hygrometer that came with your bator until you've calibrated them. And, don't believe the instructions with your bator! Follow the advice in HE 101, b/c it's the latest research based info on successful hatching.

If roo is doing his job, fertility rate should be high. No you can't tell if an egg is fertile unless you crack it open or incubate it. But, if your friend checks her breakfast eggs, she should be able to tell what the fertility rate is. Don't buy eggs from MMc. You will have dismal results compared to your friend's eggs. Do you have an exit plan for all the cockerels that you will be hatching?

 

[Chicks 'n ducks]

Welcome to BYC!
It is very likely that you will get a high fertility rate with that ratio. There is no way of telling a fertile egg without cracking it open that I know of. As for hatch rate, it depends.
If you have a good incubator, you have a good chance. When setting hatching eggs, you should make sure the outside is fairly clean. brush off any grime. With broody hens, they
will wait to incubate their eggs till they have a clutch. The eggs will be fine waiting awhile.
The article is a great resource to refer to.
Best of luck!