I'm so disappointed I could cry...UPDATE****

[esthermgr]

I know how you feel. As silly as I know it is, a bad hatch gets me down for days.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I both buy and sell eggs on Ebay and other places. I can tell you that my incubator is constantly running because I am ALWAYS doing fertility checks. I test the fertility on my eggs at least once a month. Whatever hatches out, I sell locally.

That way if there's a fertility issue, I know about it. I bought 3 dozen eggs off a BIG seller on ebay. Not one egg was fertile. Then others started to complain as well. Okay so it wasn't just me.

Laurie

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Well, the eggs started hatching. I checked the eggs early this afternoon and there was nothing, and I went back about an hour ago and there were 2 chicks already out and resting at the back of the bator! I was like "What?! Already?!" I just put them on lockdown last night! I had to struggle to see WHICH eggs had hatched, and then I saw. It was my own two that I had placed in there. My two Marans mixes. On a good note, a couple of the Serama eggs are rocking. Nothing yet from the BLRW's though. I contacted the seller to ask her what her fertility rate is, cause I was curious to know how many she was hatching out. She said she had a power outtage, but hatched 2 out of 6. Then she asked me if I'd like to try again. I'm considering it, cause I really want BLRW's. Where I'll find the money for it, I have no idea. I'm hoping I wake tomorrow morning to at least ONE Wyandotte.

 

[averytds]

for you.

I know just how you feel. I devote half my bator space to my own eggs interspersed with the shipped eggs as an extra check measure. Forget 50% hatch rate, I'm not even getting 50% fertility on shipped eggs. Mine, 100% of course because I don't care. I don't think the sellers I bought from are dishonest, but it's hard not to wonder why so many clears. Not even quitters since they never start to begin with. It's impossible to not get depressed when you only get development in 1 out of 10. And you know the one that is developing isn't the color I really, really wanted.

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Quote:
Exactly. I was really counting on these BLRW hatching so that I could start my own breeding flock, but it looks like I may have to wait an extra year now to do that.

As for my Bantams, I was counting on most of those Mottled to make it into lockdown. I need them for my breeding flock since all I currently have is a single pair of adult Mottled. I have more Splash than anything. Of the eggs in the bator right now, I only see a few Seramas rocking. I'm not complaining, I really want Seramas too. I'm hoping the Lavender, White, Frizzles, and Cinnamon Reds make it. I have 2 of each in there. 2 Black Mottled d'Uccles too. We'll see if they make it at all. The two chicks in my bator right now are adorable. They are black with black legs, and a little white in their faces. One has a rose comb (mommy is one of my SLW's), and the other has a straight comb (mommy is my BA). Daddy is a Silver Cuckoo Maran. I have one of his chicks in my brooder now, she's 3 1/2 weeks old and we named her Rose. Her mommy is my ASL hen Poachy. Rose is yellow with orange legs and is feathering almost completely white. A pleasant surprise seeing what my Silver Cuckoo Maran can produce. Seeing as he's the ONLY one producing at the moment. Every single one of his eggs that I've incubated has been fertile, and only one didn't hatch. It pipped, but never hatched. We're getting ready to put more eggs in from both my flocks after this, and it will probably be the last time I run the bators til Fall. I don't want them on during the hot summer months. I have them in my room right now and it's already too hot in there for my taste! I really hope these hatch. I am again finding myself constantly standing over the bator, looking for pips. This is the hardest part, the home stretch. Hopefully by Monday I'll have more chicks.

 

[McSpin]

Quote:
What I'd like to know is, how do you know when an egg is infertile vs. and egg that died in transit due to environmental issues?


I hatch 60-90 eggs every week and also sell hatching eggs. I know my hatchout rate and fertility rate, and the average hatchrate on shipped eggs doesn't even come close. When customers see no development, most assume infertility, yet I know that is not the case with my eggs - my incubator proves the fertility rate every week. So, what's the difference in an egg that is infertile and one that died before incubation (or even during early incubation)?

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Quote:
What I'd like to know is, how do you know when an egg is infertile vs. and egg that died in transit due to environmental issues?


I hatch 60-90 eggs every week and also sell hatching eggs. I know my hatchout rate and fertility rate, and the average hatchrate on shipped eggs doesn't even come close. When customers see no development, most assume infertility, yet I know that is not the case with my eggs - my incubator proves the fertility rate every week. So, what's the difference in an egg that is infertile and one that died before incubation (or even during early incubation)?

The difference that I notice is when you crack the egg open, there will either be a bullseye (fertile), or there won't be (infertile). Regardless of how it travels, that bullseye doesn't just disappear. That's just been my experience.

 

[jossanne]

I'm so sorry. I know the feeling. I set 11 eggs under a broody. Three developed, and I tossed eight. Hatch day came, and I was totally hoping for 3 chicks. Only one hatched. The other two never even pipped, and died in the shells. These were the ones I was

to start a little flock of good quality bantam cochins. I had such high hopes! If I had a bator, I'd buy another batch of eggs today, but I have to wait for another hen to go broody.

Hang in there, and let's not give up hope! Good luck with your hatch! Hope both of those BLRW's hatch, and you end up with a pair!

 

[chicken_china_mom]

So far I'm still waiting. Only those two from my eggs have hatched. There's nothing coming from the BLRW's, not evening peeping or rocking.

There is, however, a pip in one of the Frizzled Cochin eggs. A Serama egg in the back is still rocking from time to time. The babies that hatched are sooooooo quiet. My last two hatches the babies cheeped and cheeped like crazy, but these two are silent, and so cute!!! Little and black with black legs. One has a straight comb and one has a rose comb. Dunno where the black legs came from on the rose combed one! It's mama is one of my SLW's! The other one, it makes sense, it's mama is my BA hen. I'm hoping something will hatch overnight tonight. I'm still holding out hope for the BLRW's though. I'm not counting them out just yet! I haven't had any hens go broody yet. The lady that sold me these BLRW will send me a new batch for only $10, but I am $101 in the hole in my bank account, and only have $1.86 in my paypal.

It's frustrating because for $10 I would try it again in a heartbeat! I am so frustrated right now.

 

[vicki2x2]

Quote:
What I'd like to know is, how do you know when an egg is infertile vs. and egg that died in transit due to environmental issues?


I hatch 60-90 eggs every week and also sell hatching eggs. I know my hatchout rate and fertility rate, and the average hatchrate on shipped eggs doesn't even come close. When customers see no development, most assume infertility, yet I know that is not the case with my eggs - my incubator proves the fertility rate every week. So, what's the difference in an egg that is infertile and one that died before incubation (or even during early incubation)?

The difference that I notice is when you crack the egg open, there will either be a bullseye (fertile), or there won't be (infertile). Regardless of how it travels, that bullseye doesn't just disappear. That's just been my experience.

But after incubating, the egg starts to break down and you can't always see that bullseye anymore, so that doesn't really confirm anything.