Science class hatch-a-long

[Lgbchickie]

the facts
- 100 eggs will be set
- Eggs will be set April 17th
- there will be barnyard mixes between 2 roosters and a almost 8 month old cockerel


Questions
where should we order hatching eggs? I have ever ordered any and i'm 99% my teacher hasn't either.
What breeds should we order? (auto-sexing/sex-link favored)
how do i transport my eggs to the school? i'm 15 mins away and the ride's a little bumpy sometimes
how long does a hen take to lay after moving to a new home? (new home for now, not in their flock yet)
What eggs of mine do i pick? i think my Dominique and Australorp pullets eggs are too small

Disclaimer: I'm not a the teacher just probably the most invested student this man has ever had

 

[TwoCrows]

Purchase eggs from a known reliable source, breeder birds can pass down all kinds of unwanted genetic and poor health traits.

Keep in mind shipping can be very hard on eggs, make sure to rest your eggs on the kitchen counter, large end up, 24 to 48 hours before setting to let the air resettle at the top of the egg.

Hens can take a couple weeks to relax and start laying regularly so it's best to let them settle in before collecting eggs.

Roosters need to mate with hens for a couple of weeks before you start collecting eggs to make sure she is laying fertile eggs. New pullet eggs can sometimes be infertile, I like to set a bit older birds eggs.

Best wishes with all your hatches!

 

[Lgbchickie]

Purchase eggs from a known reliable source, breeder birds can pass down all kinds of unwanted genetic and poor health traits.

Keep in mind shipping can be very hard on eggs, make sure to rest your eggs on the kitchen counter, large end up, 24 to 48 hours before setting to let the air resettle at the top of the egg.

Hens can take a couple weeks to relax and start laying regularly so it's best to let them settle in before collecting eggs.

Roosters need to mate with hens for a couple of weeks before you start collecting eggs to make sure she is laying fertile eggs. New pullet eggs can sometimes be infertile, I like to set a bit older birds eggs.

Best wishes with all your hatches!

wouldn't they still be fertilized from our rooster? the hens moved from our flock to my teacher's flock

also they have been laying for a few months now all of them have shown the fertile bullseye thing it was just the egg size that was my concern all of the pullets are the same age as the cockerel

 

[TwoCrows]

wouldn't they still be fertilized from our rooster? the hens moved from our flock to my teacher's flock

also they have been laying for a few months now all of them have shown the fertile bullseye thing it was just the egg size that was my concern all of the pullets are the same age as the cockerel

If the rooster has been breeding adult hens for a couple of weeks, the eggs should be fertile. Keep in mind young pullets under the age of 1 do not always lay fertile eggs. Pullets can also lay small eggs, you shouldn't set really small eggs, embroyos need as much room as possible.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are several things about this I don't understand. Why are you ordering hatching eggs and asking about breeds when they will be barnyard mixes from two roosters and a cockerel? Why are you transporting eggs from your place when you are moving hens to the teacher's flock? How can I suggest which eggs to pick if I don't know what the options are? So many things I don't understand.

I assume you are in the US. Call your county extension office and chat with them. I have no idea what your extension office is like, but many help teachers with hatches. Even on such short notice, if you can find the right person they may be able to help with information, equipment, maybe even eggs.

Two issues with transporting eggs. You do not want to shake them so cushion them. Don't put them on the floor board, put them on a seat. Set them on pillows, foam rubber, bubble wrap, or something soft. Package them so they can't rattle against each other. Don't drive stupid, go slowly and carefully.

Don't let them overheat. Do not leave them in a closed up car where the sun can turn it into an oven.

Choosing the eggs. Select clean eggs. You don't want eggs with clumps of dried mud or poop, those eggs have likely had the protective bloom removed. A light dust isn't bad but no really dirty ones.

Do not select any unusually large or small eggs. This is not overall size, it is compared to the size of egg the hen normally lays. Some hens naturally lay smaller eggs than others. So when deciding if it is unusually large or small, you are only comparing it to the size that hen or that breed normally lay. Do not compare a bantam egg with the egg from a full sized fowl.

I've hatched pullet eggs. I have had bad hatches with the first eggs a pullet lays. I typically have very good hatches with eggs from pullets that have been laying one month or longer. How long have those pullets been laying? As they are almost 8 months old I'd think they would be good to hatch.

I have no idea what will happen when you move a laying hen. Some continue laying, never miss a beat. Some can clam up for weeks. When you deal with living animals you don't get guarantees. Each one can be different.

It can take around 25 hours for an egg to make its way through a hen's internal egg making system from when the yolk is released until the egg pops out. It can only be fertilized in the first few minutes of that journey. This means if a mating takes place on a Wednesday, Wednesday's egg cannot be fertile from that mating. Thursday's egg may or may not be fertile, depending in timing. Friday's egg will be fertile. This part is pretty straightforward but it depends on when they mate. A rooster does not always mate with every hen in his flock every day.

Your question is more how long do they stay fertile once they are fertile. That varies anywhere from a week and a half to maybe as much as 4 weeks. Some people seem to read that and think they are all laying fertile eggs for 4 weeks. No, that is not what I said. You'll probably get a good hatch rate if you set eggs up to 2 weeks after they are separated from the rooster. After that the hatch rate will probably drop.

Again, I strongly suggest you call your county extension officed and see if you can get some local expert help. That could be invaluable.

Good luck!