My girl Chocolate lays XL 70-78g eggs -- can I hatch some of her babies?

[thistlewick]

I've been wanting to collect her eggs and hatch some of her babies - she's a lovely hen, friendly, charming, capable, hearty and a great layer - but she lays massive eggs!

Been reading 50-65 is ideal size - and she regularly lays 70-78g eggs and they are not double yolk.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Sure.
Why would you think you couldn't?

 

[thistlewick]

Sure.
Why would you think you couldn't?

Because of the ideal size range being 50-65...and 78g is HUGE compared to that. I just want the chick growing in there to have the best chance at hatching.

 

[Perris]

My advice with all eggs is to set eggs that are approximately the same size so they all develop at about the same rate. There is no reason why XL eggs should be problematic, as long as the hen can cover them.

Just out of interest, where did you get the idea that there is an 'ideal' size of '50-65' g?

 

[thistlewick]

My advice with all eggs is to set eggs that are approximately the same size so they all develop at about the same rate. There is no reason why XL eggs should be problematic, as long as the hen can cover them.

Just out of interest, where did you get the idea that there is an 'ideal' size of '50-65' g?

A lot of university publications here in the US claim that 50-65 is ideal for incubation, so when you Google it, that's the answer you get.

There have been some peer reviewed academic articles about embryo development based on egg weight, but they used that metric (50-65) so there was nothing for over 70.

I wish wish wish I was using a hen, I've got no broodys atm. Was going to incubate with an incubator.

 

[Sic]

If the large eggs are average size (whatever that weight may be) to the hen it's fine. You just want to incubate average eggs, not the usually small or usually large.

 

[thistlewick]

If the large eggs are average size (whatever that weight may be) to the hen it's fine. You just want to incubate average eggs, not the usually small or usually large.

That's the thing she's not a massive hen. She's a bym from tractor supply - a Starlight Green Egger. Nothing fancy

Her eggs are gigantic and always have been though.

 

[Sic]

That's the thing she's not a massive hen. She's a bym from tractor supply - a Starlight Green Egger. Nothing fancy

Her eggs are gigantic and always have been though.

If it's her normal egg size that's awesome and perfectly fine to incubate!

 

[thistlewick]

If it's her normal egg size that's awesome and perfectly fine to incubate!

That's great news I will collect a few!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Assume you have a rooster?