Incubating chukar hatching eggs . . .

[chickenwhisperer]

Im on day 8, just about 9.

I got the 60 eggs from a lisenced CA gamebird breeder, he practiced strict bio security, and washed/sanitized the eggs.
The eggs were also refrigerated for about 2 weeks prior to me getting them.
I let them sit out a full 24 hrs before incubating.

I just candled 26 of them, from spots all over the cabinet incubator I built specifically for them.
Every single candled egg I looked at was going full bore!
Great veins, and very active embryos.
I can only assume I will surpass the breeders estimate of 85% hatch rate,

I also got a dozen jumbo pheasant eggs, and the ones I can see are going strong too.
These eggs were also sanitized and refrigerated, tho I think only for a few days.

They say chukar eggs stay good for at least 3 weeks, and the guy told me he been gettin better hatches the longer he waits.

I guess I am just amazed at how fertile these chukar eggs are, I mean they been thru alot.
I am liking the sanitization and refrigeration factors here.

This really makes me believe that eggs arent as fragile as we make them out to be.

 

[Riffecreek]

Chukar eggs are an exception to the rule!! Yes, they stay fertile longer than most eggs, but 3 weeks is pushing it in my opinion. Some studies show that the second week of age on the eggs, hatch rates were higher by 2-7%. After 13 days of age, the hatch rate started to fall off quickly! I like to set my eggs around 4-8 days old , with about 85% hatch in the spring and early summer. The hotter it gets the lower the hatch rate. In the fall and winter produced eggs, the hatch rate is 80-90% on most hatches with the first batch of eggs from them from the lights being around 70%.