My First Batch of Shipped FBCM Eggs

[dressagediva]

I logged in for a refresher course and I am supposed to recieve my first batch of shipped eggs soon and it seems that there is a bit of conflicting info. Does anyone have great morsels of specific wisdom for a first time shipped FBCM . It seems it is agreed that they need to be dryer than usual. I've seen threads that they need to rest for 24 hours, and a notion that they not be turned the first few days. I have done basic white eggies, and I am now wishing I had hatched some of my own FBCM to get a base line for them specifically but my hens don't have the quality that I would like to raise chicks from. My Roo is amazing and he needs new girls because I had a murderous hen and she took out the most beautiful girls I had. Thanks so much for your responses!

 

[youngbiddy]

I'm 36 hours from lockdown on my own first batch of shipped FCBM, so I'll have a lot more info for you on Monday. So far, I can tell you that 30-35% humidity and not turning for the first few days produces well-formed, large air cells. All of them attached just fine and they're larger than I anticipated. I haven't candled every single one since day 10, but the few I glanced at yesterday were a little larger than a quarter! The rest of the egg was totally dark and everything seemed to be going along fine, but I upped the humidity to 40% just to make myself feel better.

 

[Lark Rise]

We hatched 3 out of 4 shipped BCM a couple of weeks ago. I had humidity at 50% for days 1-18, then 65% for lockdown. I did let them settle for 12 hours before setting them and the lady I bought them from had been turning them, so I turned from day 1.

Here they are just hatched:

 

[Lark Rise]

Posting some more pics. Technically not a bump.

Hope you get more answers:

 

[KellyHM]

I usually let ANY shipped eggs sit for at least 12 hours with the pointy end down so the air pocket will settle at the top. In my experience, shipped eggs need a little higher humidity b/c they tend to dry out more...not sure why. I also up the humidity on the Marans more so than normal eggs b/c the shell is so tough they seem to have a hard time getting out. Hope this helps!

 

[dressagediva]

Well thanks for the great baby pics and awesome advise! I recieved the most perfect eggs today, only one broke. I cannot believe how dark they are, they make mine look horrible. I am letting them rest and I may try turning the turner off for a bit when I do load them. I have three sponges, bottom full of water and still around 35 to 40 humidity. I may be making a run to the store for a humidifier soon.

 

[Chicken Keith]

Uh oh. I never got the memo on the "dryer than normal" humidity setting, nor did I not turn my eggs. Temp is 99.8 and 58% humidity since day one. I picked up eggs myself, and didn't rely on the post office to shake my eggies up.

 

[dressagediva]

I'm starting to think that I should have made the 11 hour round trip drive to get my eggies. The mail lady dropped them off at my porch eventhough I had addressed them to our shop, so they were out on the porch all day thank goodness it decided to be kinda nice today and was not extremely cold like it has been. Maybe I will get more confident about shaken eggy syndrome as time goes by. I think I will go ahead and put my Salmon Favorolles in with them. I am not quite as afraid with them they don't seem to have as many needs.

I am a bit spooked that I cannot seem to raise humidity beyond 40. It is fine for now, but I will need to be at least twice that for lockdown. My chicks love how warm they are by the pellet stove but it really seems to be messing with my incubator. It also doesn't help that our climate is semi arid.

 

[Lark Rise]

I raise humidity by using twisted paper towel wicks which I place in the water and partially on a brick which I use as a heat sink. Some people use sponges/towels. I like paper towels because i can change them every few days and not worry about mold/bacteria.

 

[dressagediva]

Thanks that is the first time I have heard of that and it sounds pretty brilliant.