I haven't hatched eggs since I was a child so many many years ago...... So I have some questions. I want to (hopefully) hatch some splash cochins. I have a blue cockerel and a blue pullet. They are both almost 11 mo old (on the 8th). The pullet just started to lay on March 3rd so has only laid 2 eggs so far (one Thurs and one today). I have some chicks ordered from my local feed store that will be here April 15/16 so about 6 weeks........
now for my questions. How long should I give my pullet time to lay and get the eggs a bit bigger (first was small at about 45g todays was 53g which seems to be around where my other Cochins are that has been laying since Oct)?
I was hoping someone would go broody and would hatch and raise them so I didn't have to buy an incubator since I won't be hatching all the time. But where I have chicks coming in 6 weeks should I just go with in incubator if noone goes broody in the next couple weeks so all the chicks are the same age or just wait and see if anyone goes broody this spring sometime? I will only be keeping 2 that I hatch and finding home for any others (giving them away most likely). so not sure if that makes a difference.
How long do I collect her eggs before I try to hatch them and do I just store them on the counter or what?
Any other information that can be helpful is great since I am sure I have more questions that i am not thinking of right now.
oh and right now I have 3 Cochin pullets (different colors), 2 light Brahma's, a Salmon Faverolles, and an EE. so hopefully a chance at least ONE of those will decide to go broody. LOL They are all 11 mo and 4 of them just started laying in the last 2 weeks. the other 3 have been laying since Sept/Oct.
now for my questions. How long should I give my pullet time to lay and get the eggs a bit bigger (first was small at about 45g todays was 53g which seems to be around where my other Cochins are that has been laying since Oct)?
I was hoping someone would go broody and would hatch and raise them so I didn't have to buy an incubator since I won't be hatching all the time. But where I have chicks coming in 6 weeks should I just go with in incubator if noone goes broody in the next couple weeks so all the chicks are the same age or just wait and see if anyone goes broody this spring sometime? I will only be keeping 2 that I hatch and finding home for any others (giving them away most likely). so not sure if that makes a difference.
How long do I collect her eggs before I try to hatch them and do I just store them on the counter or what?
Any other information that can be helpful is great since I am sure I have more questions that i am not thinking of right now.
oh and right now I have 3 Cochin pullets (different colors), 2 light Brahma's, a Salmon Faverolles, and an EE. so hopefully a chance at least ONE of those will decide to go broody. LOL They are all 11 mo and 4 of them just started laying in the last 2 weeks. the other 3 have been laying since Sept/Oct.