Marking different eggs

[sarah315]

I'm ordering some fertile eggs soon, and there will be several different breeds in the batch. The hatchery is going to label them for me, but I want to keep track of them under my broodie. Would it be ok to put a small drop of nail polish to separate who is who? Or maybe sharpie? But I'm afraid the marker would wear off under the mama.

 

[FenDruadin]

I don't know about under a mama, but I mark with whatever I have handy and have noticed no problems between pen, pencil, marker, sharpie, etc. Choose something water-resistant for sure. I have had permanent marker under a mama for a few weeks, and it never wore off, so that may be a good bet. I've never had a mama raise a batch to hatch (I have runners, so this is not surprising), but I've had them sit for a few weeks (and then brought the eggs in to finish incubation...). Good luck and have fun!

 

[tbitt]

So, how is this all coming along?

 

[bibkel]

I would be afraid of a chicken pecking at a dark spot. My eggs were under a broody chicken, and now one baby thinks she is a chicken LOL.

here is the duckling we left with her, the others came inside. Mom is a Cochin:

Here are a few of the others that are in the house, they were born 5/16/2011

 

[Oregon Blues]

Pencil is commonly used.