Hatching eggs in the winter?

[starrmar006]

I just got a incubator for Christmas, I was looking for wheaten Americana hatching eggs on the web and there wasn't any good prices or it was the wrong chicken. I know the egg production is down but does any one have some eggs to sell or lend me? (under $20)

 

[RodNTN]

Hmm, hatching eggs (especially for purebred Ameraucana's) under $20 might be difficult to find. Hatching eggs are sometimes up to $20 an egg.

 

[starrmar006]

I've found some that are $12 for 1 dozen but they were the wrong Ameraucana's breed

 

[lazy gardener]

Ameraucanas are not the best winter layers. You will do well to find any at all, and they are apt to be pricey. Fertility is also not the best in the winter, even if the girls are laying. If this is your first trial with an incubator, I'd suggest that you start with local eggs. Even back yard mix. Get familiar with your bator, and be sure you have your thermometers and hygrometer calibrated properly before spending money on shipped eggs which are known to have very poor hatching results, even for an experienced hatcher. Also, do you have an appropriate place to brood chicks this time of year?

 

[Just Rosie]

I'm in sort of the same situation, this would be my first hatch, and I'm really wanting Ameraucanas. I'm hoping to have them shipped after New Years. Money's not really an issue, and I know with shipped eggs the hatch rate is avg. 50%. Is it that big of a difference that I should wait until spring?

 

[lazy gardener]

No matter how much money I had available, I'd not consider purchasing shipped eggs this time of year, and I'd think long and hard about doing so any time of year. I have 2 home made incubators, and average 80 - 90% hatch rate (higher if infertile or non starters are removed from the stats). Shipped eggs, I've averaged less than 10%, and this was with summer shipped eggs.

 

[aart]

I've found some that are $12 for 1 dozen but they were the wrong Ameraucana's breed

I'm in sort of the same situation, this would be my first hatch, and I'm really wanting Ameraucanas. I'm hoping to have them shipped after New Years. Money's not really an issue, and I know with shipped eggs the hatch rate is avg. 50%. Is it that big of a difference that I should wait until spring?

Neither of you have your locations in your profiles, that could make a huge difference.
Shipping eggs is risky at best and ridiculous in the middle of winter, both for fertility and increased weather risks with shipping.

Hmm, hatching eggs (especially for purebred Ameraucana's) under $20 might be difficult to find. Hatching eggs are sometimes up to $20 an egg.

Ditto Dat^^^
Better be darn sure you're getting eggs from a reputable dealer.
$12/dz for Am's I would not trust in the least.

 

[lazy gardener]

If it sounds too good to be true, chances are that it's too good to be true. Add shipping costs to the price of the eggs, and the cost per egg becomes prohibitive. Then, there's the poor hatch rate, and the realization that you very well may end up with well over 50% cockerels, of the ones that DO hatch.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

I had a hatch of 9/14 shipped eggs the third week of November, shipped the first week, hatched around Thanksgiving. But that was already a month ago, and the eggs I had were laid almost two months ago.

A month’s difference? Last February I hatched just 2/9. A month went by and I got 9/12. Exact same flock and everything. And those eggs were not shipped.

That’s to say nothing of the hassle of either ensuring survival outside or dealing with the chicks for an extended period inside. My best plans are never enough and I am ready for them to be outside sooner and sooner each time. Halloween will be my guide for my area in the future, no incubator hatches after that. Then I will wait until March again.

 

[starrmar006]

Neither of you have your locations in your profiles, that could make a huge difference.
Shipping eggs is risky at best and ridiculous in the middle of winter, both for fertility and increased weather risks with shipping.

Ditto Dat^^^
Better be darn sure you're getting eggs from a reputable dealer.
$12/dz for Am's I would not trust in the least.

I Live in western WA