Hands on hatching and help

[AmyLynn2374]

It's funny you say that. I just ordered some eggs from ruby and they arrived in great condition and I'm in california! These other eggs came from Florida. I actually get alot of my eggs from Florida now that I think about it...

You got eggs from Ruby???

We can have siblings!!! My avatar chick is one from her eggs!! How do the air cells look? Are they in the bator??

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You are brave. I'm always scared to get eggs from more than 2 or 300 miles away. Then again, the two batches of eggs from two places REALLY close wetter the worst - one had every egg scrambled, the other had the box and eggs crushed.

I refused to do shipped eggs forever. I was having such good hatches, I didn't want to kill my streak...lol I got eggs from Ruby, who is like what 5-6 hours away, (of course that's 2 days as the post office goes..lol) and I was still scared. I got 18, 14 made it to lockdown and 12 hatched, so I was pleased. I still want showgirls but I guess I'm just going to have to establish my own line because I hate the thought of kicking out money and getting nothing.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Wow, that's awful... I just got Araucana eggs from Edd Sheppard / Awesome Araucanas, in Redding CA.... The box was in almost mint condition when it arrived and only one egg, out of 42, cracked...however, a few eggs look jiggly and a couple were detached. He did a good job of wrapping and boxing - I think!

Point being, it might be a PO outside of Cali....?

Wishing you a decent hatch rate

That's funny I live in redding...

You are brave. I'm always scared to get eggs from more than 2 or 300 miles away. Then again, the two batches of eggs from two places REALLY close wetter the worst - one had every egg scrambled, the other had the box and eggs crushed.

At this point I don't trust them no matter where they come from. I usually feel happy if even a few hatch. In the beginning I got amazing hatches. Almost 100 percent. It sucks when expensive eggs don't make it..

You got eggs from Ruby???     We can have siblings!!!  My avatar chick is one from her eggs!!  How do the air cells look? Are they in the bator??

Yes they have been in there a few days. I didn't mention it because I'm so nervous lol. I was hoping for some good silkies for 4h. My last batch of silkies didn't do well so I'll admit I'm kind of terrified. I'm trying to keep an extra good eye on them this time and I also have the brinsea now so I hope that helps. The air cells were pretty small. Most looked good but there were some jiggly ones.

I refused to do shipped eggs forever. I was having such good hatches, I didn't want to kill my streak...lol I got eggs from Ruby, who is like what 5-6 hours away, (of course that's 2 days as the post office goes..lol) and I was still scared. I got 18, 14 made it to lockdown and 12 hatched, so I was pleased.  I still want showgirls but I guess I'm just going to have to establish my own line because I hate the thought of kicking out money and getting nothing.

Yeah thats how I feel. These orpingtons cost a fortune and only like 3 out of 12 have hatched out of 4 different hatches. The lemon cuckoo seem somewhat sickly. They don't act that way but it's like their growth is stunted. All the boxes have been extremely damaged on these though so I'm thinking that's what's happened. I'm praying these new silkies and orpingtons hatch well. I really need some pullets for my silkies and my layer flock..

 

[AmyLynn2374]

That's funny I live in redding...

At this point I don't trust them no matter where they come from. I usually feel happy if even a few hatch. In the beginning I got amazing hatches. Almost 100 percent. It sucks when expensive eggs don't make it..

Yes they have been in there a few days. I didn't mention it because I'm so nervous lol. I was hoping for some good silkies for 4h. My last batch of silkies didn't do well so I'll admit I'm kind of terrified. I'm trying to keep an extra good eye on them this time and I also have the brinsea now so I hope that helps. The air cells were pretty small. Most looked good but there were some jiggly ones.
Yeah thats how I feel. These orpingtons cost a fortune and only like 3 out of 12 have hatched out of 4 different hatches. The lemon cuckoo seem somewhat sickly. They don't act that way but it's like their growth is stunted. All the boxes have been extremely damaged on these though so I'm thinking that's what's happened. I'm praying these new silkies and orpingtons hatch well. I really need some pullets for my silkies and my layer flock..

I found with the silkie eggs I needed to run a slightly higher humidity, probably averaging around 45%, (which made me very nervous...lol) I had a few wobbly cells, I let them rest for 12 hours after I got them, then I put them in the bator upright in cutdown cartons and did not turn for the first 24 hours, then I just tilted for the next 2 days, by day 4 or 5 all the wobbly ones had firmed right up and I was able to lay them down and turn normally. I only had one that showed no signs of development and 3 that quit in the first week. The other 14 made it to lockdown with 12 successful hatchers.

Blooie had some really awful luck with some of her shipped eggs, and we talked her into giving it one more try and get eggs from Ruby, and she had a real good hatch too. And her birds are so beautiful and full.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

I found with the silkie eggs I needed to run a slightly higher humidity, probably averaging around 45%, (which made me very nervous...lol)  I had a few wobbly cells, I let them rest for 12 hours after I got them, then I put them in the bator upright in cutdown cartons and did not turn for the first 24 hours, then I just tilted for the next 2 days, by day 4 or 5 all the wobbly ones had firmed right up and I was able to lay them down and turn normally. I only had one that showed no signs of development and 3 that quit in the first week. The other 14 made it to lockdown with 12 successful hatchers. 

Blooie had some really awful luck with some of her shipped eggs, and we talked her into giving it one more try and get eggs from Ruby, and she had a real good hatch too. And her birds are so beautiful and full.

Yes I've heard to keep the humidity a bit higher. I have it at 50 percent right now also nervous. I let them rest for 24 hours. I ha e them in the brinsea with the auto turner. It tilts them every hour. Much more then I could. Geez I hope they hatch. I had to add water to get my humidity up and it's only day 2.

 

[RubyNala97]

Geez I ordered some Crele/isabelle orpington hatching eggs and the post office did a number on them. Thank god the breeder packaged so well even double boxing. The outer box was completely torn open and all the extras were broken. The air cells look really jiggly so not sure how many will hatch. Next year I'm using my own eggs!!

Wow, that's a pretty banged up box. But that goes to show how much double boxing can help. I was/am interested in eggs from an amazing breeder but she is on the other side of the country and the eggs are very, very expensive...I asked and she does NOT double box. Which makes me extremely nervous and your pic is the exact reason why! I'll keep my crossed for your eggs!

It's funny you say that. I just ordered some eggs from ruby and they arrived in great condition and I'm in california! These other eggs came from Florida. I actually get alot of my eggs from Florida now that I think about it...

All the shipped eggs I have gotten from Florida did horrible!! I think it's the Jacksonville hub because all of the shipped eggs I got from Georgia did amazing!

 

[n8ivetxn]

That's funny I live in redding...

Yes they have been in there a few days. I didn't mention it because I'm so nervous lol. I was hoping for some good silkies for 4h. My last batch of silkies didn't do well so I'll admit I'm kind of terrified. I'm trying to keep an extra good eye on them this time and I also have the brinsea now so I hope that helps. The air cells were pretty small. Most looked good but there were some jiggly ones.

These orpingtons cost a fortune and only like 3 out of 12 have hatched out of 4 different hatches.

Ha! You're probably Edd's neighbor

..... I wish I lived in Redding, the weather is likely much nicer than it is here

As much bad stuff as I hear about shipped eggs, I'm beginning to think I'll be lucky if I get a few to hatch... It does suck, this hobby isn't "cheep"!

....Sounds like the box of Araucanas I just got....

Even though the box was in good shape, I'm sceptical...

 

[Blooie]

Amy is right - I had dismal hatches with shipped eggs and had thrown in the towel. Then she talked me into trying one more time with @RubyNala97 Silkie eggs, because granddaughter Katie was so disappointed that her other Silkie egg didn't hatch. Holy smokes what a difference! These eggs were so fresh I couldn't even FIND the air cells to determine if any were detached! And I had a great hatch! I lost a few right at the end because I screwed up the humidity - that was totally on me, not the quality of the eggs. I had Silkies coming out my ears! And now they are all strong and healthy and doing great.

 

[Lisa81]

With shipped eggs, I try to find a place that is fairly close to where I live so they don't have to travel far. My first batch of shipped eggs I got from California and I live in Arizona, I had 5 out of 7 eggs hatch in a homemade incubator.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Wow, that's a pretty banged up box. But that goes to show how much double boxing can help. I was/am interested in eggs from an amazing breeder but she is on the other side of the country and the eggs are very, very expensive...I asked and she does NOT double box. Which makes me extremely nervous and your pic is the exact reason why! I'll keep my crossed for your eggs!
All the shipped eggs I have gotten from Florida did horrible!! I think it's the Jacksonville hub because all of the shipped eggs I got from Georgia did amazing!

Would she double box if you requested it? It seems if they are pretty expensive she would be more accommodating? It's funny you say that about Georgia because I've got good hatches from there too lol

Ha! You're probably Edd's neighbor ..... I wish I lived in Redding, the weather is likely much nicer than it is here

As much bad stuff as I hear about shipped eggs, I'm beginning to think I'll be lucky if I get a few to hatch... It does suck, this hobby isn't "cheep"!

....Sounds like the box of Araucanas I just got.... :/ Even though the box was in good shape, I'm sceptical...

The weather is ok here. It can get pretty darn hot in the summer but the winters have been pretty mild the last few years. Where are you located?
This hobby is not a cheep one at all and getting the right dynamic to your flock can be difficult. When I first got into this I didn't realize how much money would go into it. I've spent thousands of dollars on better incubators and pricey eggs that didn't hatch. Coop expansions. I've practically given away hens trying to get rid of my roosters to non slaughter homes. I don't regret any of it though. I feel very passionate about my little farm!
I've had some really good hatches through the mail so if the box was in good shape don't give up hope.

Amy is right - I had dismal hatches with shipped eggs and had thrown in the towel.  Then she talked me into trying one more time with @RubyNala97
 Silkie eggs, because granddaughter Katie was so disappointed that her other Silkie egg didn't hatch.  Holy smokes what a difference!  These eggs were so fresh I couldn't even FIND the air cells to determine if any were detached!  And I had a great hatch!  I lost a few right at the end because I screwed up the humidity - that was totally on me, not the quality of the eggs.  I had Silkies coming out my ears! And now they are all strong and healthy and doing great.  

Fingers crossed mine will be the same. I've only tried bantams twice and both hatches didn't go well. I was so sad..

With shipped eggs, I try to find a place that is fairly close to where I live so they don't have to travel far. My first batch of shipped eggs I got from California and I live in Arizona, I had 5 out of 7 eggs hatch in a homemade incubator. 

I wish I could find what I wanted closer but usually if it's something I really want there will be no breeders close by lol