- Jan 12, 2012
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Hi, I'm a new member, and I'm trying to read my way into handling our family's current chicken situation, but I have too many demands on my attention to make sense of it all. I'll be bombarding the forum with questions, I expect, so thanks for your patience!
We've had a few Bantams since late summer, and we have yet to work up the confidence to try eating the eggs (hens were laying all over the place, paranoid about egg safety, whether we have the chickens in the right conditions, etc.). As a result, we haven't been thorough about collecting many of the eggs--couldn't find them, kids missed some, whatever) and one of the hens is sitting on a SLEW of them. My daughter said one looks like it will hatch soon. I'm all for nonintervention and letting them take care of themselves, but I don't want the chickens to start eating eggs, and I'd like a few myself to try without breaking open a half-developed chick! So. I decided to mark the eggs already there so we can collect the new ones. What can I safely use to mark the eggs? Also any other obvious-to-you thoughts you want to share with me?
Comments welcome, but just be aware I've never even handled these birds before. The kids have been caring for them, but they're pretty new at this, too, learning from a 4-H guide.
We've had a few Bantams since late summer, and we have yet to work up the confidence to try eating the eggs (hens were laying all over the place, paranoid about egg safety, whether we have the chickens in the right conditions, etc.). As a result, we haven't been thorough about collecting many of the eggs--couldn't find them, kids missed some, whatever) and one of the hens is sitting on a SLEW of them. My daughter said one looks like it will hatch soon. I'm all for nonintervention and letting them take care of themselves, but I don't want the chickens to start eating eggs, and I'd like a few myself to try without breaking open a half-developed chick! So. I decided to mark the eggs already there so we can collect the new ones. What can I safely use to mark the eggs? Also any other obvious-to-you thoughts you want to share with me?
Comments welcome, but just be aware I've never even handled these birds before. The kids have been caring for them, but they're pretty new at this, too, learning from a 4-H guide.