How do i not get discouraged? Im so sad :(

[aubreynoramarie]

I did a day 8 candle today on ALL 30 of my showgirl/ silkie eggs, and after weeding through, less than half have made the first cut. Most of the eggs were not even fertile (and this was almost 100% of an e-bay order of eggs), three had bloodrings, one had an underdeveloper, so im guessing an early quitter, and one i think i may have killed! sad- it totally looked fine when i cracked it open (idk, it honetly looked small to me but what the hell do i know??). if i lose this many during the second cut, i will have no babies at all for my hatch. i wanted 30 eggs because i want two showgirl hens and i wanted a good chance of getting them. Its not really looking very good now. Added bummer is that this is my first time hatching and probobly my last since i dont have room for anymore chickens after i get my two showgirls

i still have two weeks to go, how how how do i not get discouraged?

 

[gumbii]

i'm gonna start taking everyone's advice here and just candle on day 18... but don't be discouraged... i started with 60 eggs, and i went on lockdown yesterday, but only 17 growing eggs... the kicker is that these are my own chicken's eggs... but i guess they're too young... a lot of them weren't fertile...


stick with it, and at least you aren't going to have something hatch...

 

[justtoni44]

I just don't candle much.
Guess I have been lucky to not having a bad egg yet..............
I don't know the answer but know I usually have some day 25 hatchers so
don't want to take a chance of throwing away the wrong eggs.
Good luck.
I hope the rest goes well for you.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

i know but not candling wouldnt have changed the fact that half of the eggs were not even fertile. stinks man, it stinks alot >

although out of the ones that were fertile, i guess three bloodrings and two quitters isnt THAT bad?

 

[bel]

They may have been fertile, clears are a part of shipped eggs unfortunately, they get too shook up in shiping or the wrong temps and just never develop.

 

[silkiechicken]

50% fertile after shipping seems pretty average so nothing to be discouraged about.

In the future, just pull eggs at day 14+ to be certain.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

that may have to do with why so many of the one order were like that and only one of the other order were. Guess the e-bay order just had a bumpier ride. Its still poopy.

so maybe the first round of throwouts will be more than the last round, now that ive got all the ones that werent gonna grow out.