Our chickens' first eggs - how long should we wait to start incubating

[mom2chicksandpups]

A friend of my husband's told him that we should wait 3 months after our chickens first start laying to try to hatch their eggs. Is this true? If so, why? I had never heard this before, so I just thought someone might be able to help.

One of our Australorps laid her first egg yesterday. I know they will get a little larger with time, but other than the small size what is the reason for waiting to incubate the eggs?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I know this may seem like a silly questions, but do you have a rooster with your hens?

Once you see them being bred regularly by the rooster, then you could give them a try.

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

Yes, we have a rooster with 8 hens in that pen. I know some of the eggs should be fertile because he is a very busy rooster. We have caught him "in the act" with his girls lots of times. I just wondered why we would have to wait 3 months. I had never heard this, but our friend swears that we have to wait.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

No, I don't think you necessarily need to wait. Typically pullet eggs are small and many folks don't like to incubate them, but I would give it a try anytime.

 

[Lucky Ducky]

I've got half a dozen pullet eggs in my incubator right now. I'm pretty sure that the first 2 from my son's little OEGB pullet won't hatch because they are tiny. They are only about 1 1/4 inch long. BUT he wanted to put them in because I was putting the first ones out of my bigger chickens pen in the incubator. We'll see what happens.