Harris Farms Nurture Right 360 Incubator is AMAZING!

[junior67]

question........ how long would you let shipped eggs sit before setting them?

Here is my problem...... I won eggs on ebay. 2 sellers. They should have been shipped last week and received around Fri maybe Sat. Well one seller the chickens stopped laying for a bit and just started back up so instead of shipping close to the end of the week she was going to wait and ship them today so they didn't sit in the PO. The other seller took a bit getting the invoice to me so I could pay so again was going to ship them today. So I SHOULD receive them Wed maybe Thurs and was planning on letting them sit for the day (of course i have to work Thurs morning but think my daughters are home so may ask them to get them if they come in then. I work Wed later so can get them) and setting them that night. Well I haven't gotten ANYTHING from either seller/ebay saying that they have shipped. So if they don't ship them till tomorrow or Wed then I would get them anytime from Thurs-Sat.......

Here is where it gets hard........ If I set them Wed they should hatch July 13 (maybe the 12 since the 3 eggs I have gotten to hatch at 2 different times all hatched on day 20). If Thurs-Sat it would be July 14-16.......... We will be out of town from July 15 night and coming home mid day July 17. I have someone willing to move any later hatches to the brooder and will check on the chicks if I set them Wed. but I don't want to take a chance of missing them all hatch.

Would it be ok If they were collected Sun-Mon or so and shipped Tue to let them sit until Sun to set them? I may still miss a lot of them if they hatch on day 20 like my others... Or if I get them Wed or Thurs would it be better to set them that day and chance them hatching day 22/23 and having someone move them? and if they come Fri or Sat waiting till Sun or Mon to set them?

What would you do? and I can't ask them to wait another week since we are camping the week after that as well but will be more local that time at least.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

question........ how long would you let shipped eggs sit before setting them?

Here is my problem...... I won eggs on ebay. 2 sellers. They should have been shipped last week and received around Fri maybe Sat. Well one seller the chickens stopped laying for a bit and just started back up so instead of shipping close to the end of the week she was going to wait and ship them today so they didn't sit in the PO. The other seller took a bit getting the invoice to me so I could pay so again was going to ship them today. So I SHOULD receive them Wed maybe Thurs and was planning on letting them sit for the day (of course i have to work Thurs morning but think my daughters are home so may ask them to get them if they come in then. I work Wed later so can get them) and setting them that night. Well I haven't gotten ANYTHING from either seller/ebay saying that they have shipped. So if they don't ship them till tomorrow or Wed then I would get them anytime from Thurs-Sat.......

Here is where it gets hard........ If I set them Wed they should hatch July 13 (maybe the 12 since the 3 eggs I have gotten to hatch at 2 different times all hatched on day 20). If Thurs-Sat it would be July 14-16.......... We will be out of town from July 15 night and coming home mid day July 17. I have someone willing to move any later hatches to the brooder and will check on the chicks if I set them Wed. but I don't want to take a chance of missing them all hatch.

Would it be ok If they were collected Sun-Mon or so and shipped Tue to let them sit until Sun to set them? I may still miss a lot of them if they hatch on day 20 like my others... Or if I get them Wed or Thurs would it be better to set them that day and chance them hatching day 22/23 and having someone move them? and if they come Fri or Sat waiting till Sun or Mon to set them?

What would you do? and I can't ask them to wait another week since we are camping the week after that as well but will be more local that time at least.

I try to set eggs within 10 days of being laid but that doesn't mean you can't hatch older eggs. Viability can drop over time.

Here's the real kicker. I set some eggs for my friend that she had in the fridge for a long time, like I'd have to look back at notes but it was at least a month and I had a 100% hatch rate on old refrigerator eggs that weren't even stored properly for hatching, lol.

The fresher the eggs are, the better, for the best hatch rates but that's not to say you can't get away with doing something other than best practice.

 

[junior67]

I try to set eggs within 10 days of being laid but that doesn't mean you can't hatch older eggs. Viability can drop over time.

Here's the real kicker. I set some eggs for my friend that she had in the fridge for a long time, like I'd have to look back at notes but it was at least a month and I had a 100% hatch rate on old refrigerator eggs that weren't even stored properly for hatching, lol.

The fresher the eggs are, the better, for the best hatch rates but that's not to say you can't get away with doing something other than best practice.

I have had ZERO luck with shipped eggs so really want the best results possible..... would LOVE to set them the night that I get them. but don't want them all hatching while I am out of town either....... UGH! so wish they were both shipped when I thought they would be so they would already be set and I wouldn't have this problem! I am guessing either way they would be set 7-8 days of being laid even if I waited and set them on Sunday. Both said they were going to get "fresh" eggs and ship them so if they are honest then they should be collected with in a day or two of being shipped.

Honestly if it was you and you were going to be out of town the night of the 15-17 (hopefully home about mid day) would you set them to hatch 2 days before you left? if they weren't there at that time would you set them to hatch while you were gone or the day you got home or the day after you got home and chance them being a bit older? I really just want SOMETHING to hatch from these eggs if possible....

 

[DavidReaves]

I may have missed it, but how many eggs in total? I'd be inclined to try to get them hatched before I left. Are there few enough that you could put them all in the outside ring only? The temps there are a tiny bit more stable and (maybe) promote early hatching?

 

[junior67]

I may have missed it, but how many eggs in total? I'd be inclined to try to get them hatched before I left. Are there few enough that you could put them all in the outside ring only? The temps there are a tiny bit more stable and (maybe) promote early hatching?

one was for 10+ she is going to fit what she can in a Med flat rate box... I am guessing 12 total from her? the other is 12+.... so at least 22 up to 26??? LOL so nope think they will overfill my incubator to start but guessing after the first week there will be LOTS of free spaces..... I don't know what it is here but the first group of shipped eggs I had 2 hatch, one under a broody and 1 in my incubator. both hatched about 4 hrs into day 20. then I just hatched one of my own under a broody and it pipped about 1/2 way through day 19 and hatched maybe 5-6 hrs into day 20 (day 20 started around 3pm and guessing it hatched around 8- 9pm or so? I know one seller said her Cochin eggs are large and have been known even her hatching to hatch days 23-26 so that is what has me wondering when to start them JIC.... But then mine (not much experience) hatch a day early...

I would LOVE for them all to hatch before and that is my goal and is possible IF they shipped today (oh just thought of something...... some states today was a federal holiday so means no mail/PO open...... so betting they couldn't ship and will ship tomorrow which I am betting they arrive on Thurs. that would put hatch day Wed or Thurs I am guessing.. I leave Fri.....

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

one was for 10+ she is going to fit what she can in a Med flat rate box... I am guessing 12 total from her? the other is 12+.... so at least 22 up to 26??? LOL so nope think they will overfill my incubator to start but guessing after the first week there will be LOTS of free spaces..... I don't know what it is here but the first group of shipped eggs I had 2 hatch, one under a broody and 1 in my incubator. both hatched about 4 hrs into day 20. then I just hatched one of my own under a broody and it pipped about 1/2 way through day 19 and hatched maybe 5-6 hrs into day 20 (day 20 started around 3pm and guessing it hatched around 8- 9pm or so? I know one seller said her Cochin eggs are large and have been known even her hatching to hatch days 23-26 so that is what has me wondering when to start them JIC.... But then mine (not much experience) hatch a day early...

I would LOVE for them all to hatch before and that is my goal and is possible IF they shipped today (oh just thought of something...... some states today was a federal holiday so means no mail/PO open...... so betting they couldn't ship and will ship tomorrow which I am betting they arrive on Thurs. that would put hatch day Wed or Thurs I am guessing.. I leave Fri.....

Did you get your tracking info? If I read your posts right I’d say set them sooner and have the housesitter move late hatching chicks. I think that was an option Hopefully you can catch most of them hatch. It’s crummy when people don’t ship when they say they will. I’ve had it work out to my advantage through. And get chicks a couple week earlier. Almost always it’s the reverse though.

Or you could call off the camping trip and watch eggs hatch. That’s what I would want to do. Like a mother hen. It’s impossible for me to leave hatching eggs!


The late hatching, day 23-26, is highly unusual. I wouldn’t make decisions based on that information. The latest I’ve had a healthy chick hatch was day 23. You could ask for more information. Try to find out exactly what percentage of chicks hatch this late and what incubator they’re using. That’s just me being cynical. I would take that info with big grain of salt.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I try to set eggs within 10 days of being laid but that doesn't mean you can't hatch older eggs. Viability can drop over time.

Here's the real kicker. I set some eggs for my friend that she had in the fridge for a long time, like I'd have to look back at notes but it was at least a month and I had a 100% hatch rate on old refrigerator eggs that weren't even stored properly for hatching, lol.

The fresher the eggs are, the better, for the best hatch rates but that's not to say you can't get away with doing something other than best practice.

I always figure 50-60% hatch with fridge eggs. That’s based on many attempts at them.

Even after a couple years hatching I’m always impressed with 100% hatch rates. For fridge eggs that’s even more impressive! It’s like you do this a lot or something.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Did you get your tracking info? If I read your posts right I’d say set them sooner and have the housesitter move late hatching chicks. I think that was an option Hopefully you can catch most of them hatch. It’s crummy when people don’t ship when they say they will. I’ve had it work out to my advantage through. And get chicks a couple week earlier. Almost always it’s the reverse though.

Or you could call off the camping trip and watch eggs hatch. That’s what I would want to do. Like a mother hen. It’s impossible for me to leave hatching eggs!


The late hatching, day 23-26, is highly unusual. I wouldn’t make decisions based on that information. The latest I’ve had a healthy chick hatch was day 23. You could ask for more information. Try to find out exactly what percentage of chicks hatch this late and what incubator they’re using. That’s just me being cynical. I would take that info with big grain of salt.

I couldn't say it better than this post right here!!


@junior67 I'm paralyzed by your question. I hover around my incubator when chicks are hatching. My daughter and I have even eaten dinner around the incubator to watch, LOL!!! I can't imagine not being there but I also don't know what I would do in your situation. Maybe I would have delayed the shipment.

 

[junior67]

Did you get your tracking info? If I read your posts right I’d say set them sooner and have the housesitter move late hatching chicks. I think that was an option Hopefully you can catch most of them hatch. It’s crummy when people don’t ship when they say they will. I’ve had it work out to my advantage through. And get chicks a couple week earlier. Almost always it’s the reverse though.

Or you could call off the camping trip and watch eggs hatch. That’s what I would want to do. Like a mother hen. It’s impossible for me to leave hatching eggs!


The late hatching, day 23-26, is highly unusual. I wouldn’t make decisions based on that information. The latest I’ve had a healthy chick hatch was day 23. You could ask for more information. Try to find out exactly what percentage of chicks hatch this late and what incubator they’re using. That’s just me being cynical. I would take that info with big grain of salt.

No tracking info yet but rememberred PO was closed yesterday so hopefully they are shipped this morning!!

I understand why they weren't shipped last week but very frustrating!!

The weekend they are due to hatch right before isn't camping. We will be out of town. My husband is putting AC in a very close friends mother's house and this was the only weekend we could all do it. Camping is the weekend after and we are camping because my daughter is going to a concert and the campground is only a few min away from where the concert is.

I really don't want to leave them!!! But unless don't set them till Mon I don't have much of a choice. Even setting Sun runs the risk of missing day 20 hatches.

 

[junior67]

I couldn't say it better than this post right here!!


@junior67 I'm paralyzed by your question. I hover around my incubator when chicks are hatching. My daughter and I have even eaten dinner around the incubator to watch, LOL!!! I can't imagine not being there but I also don't know what I would do in your situation. Maybe I would have delayed the shipment.

I can't imagine not being there. But I would need to delay it like 2 weeks and it will be much warmer by then. So it is either pray they come Thurs and set them then and hope most hatch day 20 and early day 21. Or wait and don't set them till Mon...