Incubating and hatching eggs chat thread!!

[KaylorFarms]

Yeah. A lot of people told me that the eggs they got off eBay never had hatched!

 

[chicklette49]

I am having some broody drama. My mama Big Bird has been sitting for about 35 days. One egg hatched 7 days ago. Of course mama is in the big house in the favorite spot. This morning the chick was out of the house running around and Big Bird was going crazy trying to stay sitting on her remaining eggs and trying to get her chick back. I probably should have left them alone but I rescued the chick and went to put her back with mom but Big Bird decided to take a much needed dust bath. I took the opportunity to candle and float test the overdue eggs 11 of them. Big mistake I know! They all went back under her because out of the 4 that looked like duds on both tests the first one I went to discard was Still Alive and now I am a murderer! How long do I let her sit and what do I do with this renegade chick?

 

[KaylorFarms]

Is the mama still sitting on the other chick?

 

[JRNash]

I'll add another wrinkle that me and some other members have noticed. I live in Southeast Texas, there is a very marked difference (for me) in hatching eggs from the upper east and upper west coast. East coast ,once again,for me are always very poor. West Coast normally averages 50%

 

[JRNash]

I'd put them in a brooder.

 

[chicklette49]

I'd put them in a brooder.

Yes I thought about that but I don't have one. I thought about running down to the co-op to get one but it's a lot of money. My hubby would not be happy about that. Thanks for your input. I will update.

 

[chicklette49]

Is the mama still sitting on the other chick?

Momma and hatched chick are still together. She is sitting on the remaining eggs once again. Time will tell. It's hard to know what the best thing to do is when you are in the moment of crisis. I will update.

 

[silkieRaiser]

What day should I candle the eggs under my broody?

 

[CABINHOLLOWNC]

When it comes to shipped eggs...it really is a crap shoot! So many things factor into the viability of the eggs...are they fertile, how old were they when they were shipped, how were they wrapped, how far did they have to travel, weather conditions, how did the postal worked handle the package? Then once you get the eggs...did yo let the sit fat side up for 24 hours, detached air cells...the list goes on. I personally am having horrible luck with shipped eggs. I got 11 shipped from California...half weren't fertile the others were early quitters and only one hatched. I also got 13 EE's from Texas...4 weren't fertile, 2 early quitters, 7 have made it to lockdown this morning. I got 14 Isbars from Texas, 2 were broken when they arrived, 6 weren't fertile, 2 early quitters, 3 quit later and 1 made it to lockdown this morning. We'll see what I end up with...

 

[chicklette49]

What day should I candle the eggs under my broody?

I would make sure you know what you are looking at when you candle. I am not good at it and have made a grave mistake in the process. I have lost two perfectly fine and fertile eggs this way. One I dropped and one other was alive when I went to discard it. I clearly made mistakes. So sad......