I just won some eggs off ebay! Happy is an understatement! Advice??

[bayyjayy]

So, thanks to Iain Utah, I got me some American Buffs off of ebay. She is my new best friend forever whether she likes it or not. I am bouncing off the walls excited.....but.....I NEED SOME HELP! Iain has been sending me some great advice, but need a lot more, so I am calling all you experts out there who would like to vie for the BFF title for some help and advice.

Got my bator up and running and am playing with the dial to get a feel for how sensitive it is. Got a good spot in a bathroom (with no shower) to set up.

So, first question.....when the eggs come, after taking lots of pictures, THEN what do I do??

 

[flitter]

When they arrive you let them sit in an egg carton or something for 12-24 hours. I've heard both. this lets the chalazea unwind from their trip.Two helpful sites:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-and-raising-chicks
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...charts-on-page-one-post-one-newcomers-welcome
Good luck and have fun!

 

[bayyjayy]

Thanks for those two links! Much appreciated.

 

[Habibs Hens]

good luck with your hatch

 

[flitter]

Since this is your first hatch I thought I'd warn you of two things. "Things learned from experience."

1. Shipped eggs often have a lower hatch rate than unshipped eggs. The shippers do all they can but some of those boxes might have a rough ride.
2. Once you have the incubator set and it maintains the temp for 12 hours... don't fiddle with it. It will take hours for things to stabilize after you put the eggs in.

 

[bayyjayy]

These are the exact things I am looking for....tips you learned the hard way.

I DO know that shipped eggs are harder to hatch.....I know that, and keep reminding myself of that, but I reallllllllly want American geese, and they are HARD to find I have realized. I should just settle for another type of goose I can find locally, but.......

Iain Utah has been a huge help this weekend.....thanks to her for emailing me the link, I would have never even known of this auction. It makes me feel better that she is a newbie too when it comes to incubating and hatching. Plus, I have been lurking on her thread and am trying to get info out of it.

I am sure I can find a lot of info already on this forum, and I am looking through it, but it is so time consuming! But, enjoyable!!!!!!

Thank you SO much!

 

[bwalden]

I have purchased eggs off of ebay several times. Sometimes you have good luck and sometimes you dont. I always let mine set at room temp for at least 12 hours. Small end down in an egg carton. Do not turn them. Make sure your bator is ready. Get that temp stable! I put my bator in my closet floor because the temp is stable the humidity stays the same.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubation-cheat-sheet

I use this incubation cheat sheet. it works well..

Good luck, hope you have a great hatch!

 

[Iain Utah]

Congrats again, bayyjayy. When you get your eggs, let them sit (settle) in your bathroom fat end up for 8 hours. Then weigh them and mark weight with pencil on side of egg (fat end up). Mark x on other side. Candle fat end up for air cell, then carefully move egg around. You want to see that air cell stay in place. If they do not stay in place, you will need to incubate them upright in corners of your LG. Otherwise, you can lay them down. Then do not touch anything for 24 hours.

PS: Your accurite sitting on bottom screen should be stable at 97 degrees and 40-45% humidity for 24 hours before setting eggs.

 

[flitter]

I DO know that shipped eggs are harder to hatch.....I know that, and keep reminding myself of that, but I reallllllllly want American geese, and they are HARD to find I have realized. I should just settle for another type of goose I can find locally, but.......

Oh, no! I breed rare breeds and shipped is the only way I can get breeder quality eggs. Don't settle...

 

[bayyjayy]

LOL....that is why I STILL don't have any geese! I want Americans, so I waited and waited and waited.....hopefully I will have some babies hatch out. I am sooo excited!