Incubating new layers

[kdavis228]

My barred rock and Buff orpingtons have been laying about a month. The eggs are getting bigger but are still a little smaller than what they should be in my opinion. How long after they start laying should you wait to incubate their eggs? Can't wait to try!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m going to be really wishy-washy on this one. I just don’t have a great answer for you. You can incubate them at any time and get some to hatch. You may even get a great hatch.

I’ve incubated eggs from pullets that were laying less than 3 weeks two separate times, once in an incubator and once under a broody. Both times the hatch rate was a bit lower than I’d normally expect but not all that much lower. I don’t think two times is all that statistically significant, but it does give me a trend. I’ve also had worse hatches with normal sized eggs. There is no doubt you can get a lot of them to hatch. I have.

Obviously the chicks that hatch from those tiny pullet eggs are going to be smaller than chicks from regular sized eggs. There is just not enough room or nutrients for them to grow all that big. I hardly ever lose a chick once it hatches, whether with a broody or in a brooder. Both times with the smaller pullet eggs, I’ve had losses and they were always those smaller chicks. The chicks from the regular sized eggs made it fine both times.

Not all the chicks from those smaller eggs died, just a few. But for me, just a few is more than normal. Both times, there were things a bit unusual that stressed the chicks, so I can accept that there were reasons I lost some. But it was the smaller ones. I think they are more delicate and can’t handle the extra stress. If you have an uneventful time in the brooder or with the broody, you will probably be OK.

I’ve hatched eggs from pullets that were laying more than a month and not really noticed any difference. I don’t know if that was because they were strong enough or if they just had an uneventful childhood.

I don’t have any magic number for you. I’ll try it again if the situation comes up where those are the eggs I have available.

 

[kdavis228]

TX alot for the info! Think I'll give it a try!