Hen laying first eggs now, when can I start to incubate?

[jjaazzy]

When a hen starts laying, at what point can you start to incubate these eggs?

 

[junebuggena]

Pullet eggs usually start out pretty small. Wait till they are laying regularly, and the eggs have reached a decent size. Then you can start incubating. It can take a month or more before the eggs are big enough to support healthy chick growth.

 

[junebuggena]

I hatch 6 eggs from my 7 month old girls last month. And I have a 7 month old broody on a nest of 11 eggs due sometime next week. Pullet's eggs do tend to hatch a bit earlier than eggs from a hen over a year old though.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Yes, I agree, go by size. You want to give the pullet time to be laying regularly and for the eggs to be a decent size. I had my best ever hatch using pullet eggs from pullets that had been laying about 6 weeks. There were still a couple eggs I was worried about being small, but they all hatched healthy.

 

[KYTinpusher]

When a hen starts laying, at what point can you start to incubate these eggs?

I have successfully hatched the first pullet eggs of some of my Svarthönas (Swedish Black Hens). I was too worried about possibly losing the parents to predators or whatever to wait, as they were VERY expensive birds. The chicks from pullet eggs are small, but quickly catch up. However, if you are not too worried about losing an investment, I would wait a month or 2 before setting them just to make sure the pullet has all the kinks worked out and the eggs are a little bigger.

 

[jjaazzy]

ahhh, great! yes you are right they don't seem to be as big as what I hatched. So I will wait. Any thoughts on the color. I just posted a similar question but the eggs I hatched were a beautiful tiffany blue, and these eggs are more green. Do you think that might change?

 

[junebuggena]

I answered on your other thread.

 

[jjaazzy]

KYTinpusher you raise a very valid point. I only have one hen from this hatch, I have one from the second but she came from a more green type egg. I am hoping for the beautiful blue. hummmm I think I will take your suggestion and split it in the middle..I got chicks in the incubator right now anyway but might set some of them after.