How often should breeders...

I check mine at least every two weeks. Sometimes things like the weather can affect your chickens routines.

 

I have a sportsman incubator and every week I put in at lest 3-4 of my black copper marans eggs to make sure I can back up what I am selling. I would not want to pay good hard earned money for eggs that somneone could not baak up their fertility rate. That is just me I know everyone does not and can not do this but that is what I am doing. I eventually will not put them in every week but I will still check at least 1 time a month.

 

I think it'd depend on time of year and rooster/hen ratio. If it was spring and they had a decent r/h ratio, I'd say maybe once. If it was fall or winter, I'd say a lot more often. I have quail, and mine are 1:1 paired, but when I started I tested all the pairs to see if they were fertile and there's only one I'm still wondering about.

I mean.. really, it's not that hard. Even if someone doesn't have room for chicks, there's always hatchaholics who'd field test for them. If I was buying eggs, I'd like to see a report of fertility.
-Spooky

 

You can also crack an egg open and check for the bullseye, that way you aren't having to hatch chicks you don't want to take care of. That of course only tells you fertility, it doesn't help you know your hatch rate and all.

 

Quote:Yeah..that's how I check fertility. Every morning I check 2 eggs as they hit the fry pan.

 

stupid question here :
What does the bullseye look like and how soon would you see it in an egg (when you through it in a pan) ?

Thanks

 

the bulls eye will be in the yolk and it is a very small "dark" spot ususlly surronded by a thin white ring around it. It will be very easy to see if you look in the yolk , It looks just like a bulls eye on a dart board just a different color.

 

Quote:Hatchaholics?
Hey, I represent that remark!

I check each spring for my peeps. But I've never sold any eggs.
When my millies start to lay I will test hatch so often I will be in trouble with DH