I'm so bummed =(

[arlee453]

I've had 3 batches of shipped eggs. Let's see...14 + 14 + 15 = 43 eggs total.

30 chicks hatched in total. 5 of the 43 were clear (never developed)

So, 70% hatch rate if you count the clears, 79% if you don't count the clears.

AND that's in two homemade incubators, the first try with them.

So, it can work - I'd wait until the weather warms though - spring and fall I'd think would be the best times to avoid the extremes of temps that can be deadly to eggs...

 

[wolfpack62001]

Same as everybody else here, I have had some succsess not to great tho.
I have found that the farther away the worse the hatch rate.
So try to stay in the in the next State rule, buy as close as possible

 

[twosisters]

I have my second batch of eggs in now. Only 2 of the 28 shipped eggs are clear. The rest are developing normal but have another week in the bator.

The first was 15 eggs shipped, 4 clear, 4 dead without pipping, 1 dead after pipping, and 6 chicks.

 

[priszilla]

I 'm bummed too- these were my own eggs I can't blame the PO- and they ahve been housed together for plenty of time, fed well etc. So why are so many not fertile ( I didn't count) many didn't finish developing-- 2 live chicks out of a bator full of eggs. One os doing fine- one is only doing so-so. Clean sterilize new wafer- try again. Even the hens are not doing any better yet-- going to go candle a few of the eggs under them jsut to see if htey are doing ok

 

[MommaHen]

Broodies would be nice but at the present, none of mine are inclined.

I normally have hatch rates of 90-95% with my own eggs....boy, do I LOVE my Genesis! heehee
But my eggs are a mix of production breeds & this year I want all pure breeds.

But shipped eggs- next time I'll know better than to have such high hopes. I'll definitely order closer to home too.

 

[kstaven]

priszilla, if your hens aren't doing any better as you mentioned then it is time to change roosters. Seems you have a rooster with fertility issues or needs some mating lessons.

 

[silkiechicken]

What is your rooster to hen ratio? Is he a heavy breed or a banty on large hens by any chance? Is he highly feathered? Cochin's with big "pants" often can have mating difficulties.

 

[BamaChicken]

Dont' give up if your trying to hatch a breed you want. I have had 36 eggs out of one shipment and only 4 developed and only hatched 2 and one died. I have had great hatches on shipped eggs and then 0. I am always happy to get a few of what I want. I have also hatched a good number and none suitable for my breeding program so it is all about fun and trying to improve my flock. Most of us waste more money eating junk at a ballgame than we do on eggs.

 

[jimnjay]

Don't forget that even though roosters and hens are together, the short days and lack of light affects the roosters too. In very cold climates, it sometimes takes the longer days and warmer weather to stimulate the proper hormones in your roosters to experience optimum fertility.

I try to keep track of the areas where I get reports from egg customers that have bad results when everyone else is doing well with my eggs. There are areas that for some reason either xray or treat eggs very badly. If I have an area I try to notify people who want my eggs that my past experience has not been good. Distance is not always an indicater. A gal on this board and I have exchanged eggs for 4 or 5 times and the results on both ends has been very poor for the shipped eggs. She lives only 5 hours from me. I have shipped to places across country and had great reports during that same time frame.

It really is hard on eggs to be shipped but you can get the breeds or traits you are looking for this way. Like Julie says, if you want something special even one or two hatching may just give you all you need to improve your flock.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

1st set 0%
second set 50%
third set 95%