Setting Eggs Sept. 24th-Oct. 4th-Last Hatch of the Year. Anyone care to join me?

[LakeBird]

HELP! My automatic turner broke stopped turning. I have shipped eggs - should I go buy a new one or do you think my hatch rate will be OK if I just turn them manually? I thought I read somewhere it's better to hatch on point with shipped eggs?

 

[picanins]

LOL - sorrrrreeeee!!! The hatching drama commences . I would put a book under one side of the bator (with the eggs remaining in the broken turner), change the book (or couple of books for height) from one side to the other every couple hours. Then I'd go and buy a new turner as soon as possible

 

[CluckyCharms]

This is not a good evening for me at all. The first time I saw a Silkie was shortly before I joined this board...and I knew I had to have one. They are the entire reason I wanted chickens in the first place. I just wanted one female..one Silkie. As I went along I discovered more breeds of chickens that I wanted, so our "maximum" has increased to 6. It became very clear this evening that I have zero Silkies hatching eggs that are viable. All 6 of them are either dead or were infertile to begin with, but I keep leaving them in the incubator anyway, because I'm just stupid like that. I'm just busted up over this and I don't even want to try any more silkie eggs. I have a bunch of "project frizzle" eggs in the bator and they are doing right as rain (which is good because I very much like frizzle-feathered chickens) but I'm just so very sad that my first hatch will have no silkies for me. I might see what I can find in regard to a day-old Silkie pullet on CL or something...but I don't think I want to try hatching Silkies again. The eggs were extremely tiny, too...so small. I may have handled them too roughly or wasn't delicate enough when turning them or...didn't place them in the incubator softly enough - I'll never know but I'm just SAD and I wanted one.

Has anyone here had *good* experiences in hatching Silkies? Are they usually hardy when it comes to being viable and forming well? I just have no idea what happened. I mean ... ALL OF THEM?? And the others are just fine (one of the frizzle project embryos just bounced around the inside of the egg a short while ago)....makes no sense. Sad day in this silkie lover's house.

 

[Texasmja]

This is not a good evening for me at all. The first time I saw a Silkie was shortly before I joined this board...and I knew I had to have one. They are the entire reason I wanted chickens in the first place. I just wanted one female..one Silkie. As I went along I discovered more breeds of chickens that I wanted, so our "maximum" has increased to 6. It became very clear this evening that I have zero Silkies hatching eggs that are viable. All 6 of them are either dead or were infertile to begin with, but I keep leaving them in the incubator anyway, because I'm just stupid like that. I'm just busted up over this and I don't even want to try any more silkie eggs. I have a bunch of "project frizzle" eggs in the bator and they are doing right as rain (which is good because I very much like frizzle-feathered chickens) but I'm just so very sad that my first hatch will have no silkies for me. I might see what I can find in regard to a day-old Silkie pullet on CL or something...but I don't think I want to try hatching Silkies again. The eggs were extremely tiny, too...so small. I may have handled them too roughly or wasn't delicate enough when turning them or...didn't place them in the incubator softly enough - I'll never know but I'm just SAD and I wanted one.

Has anyone here had *good* experiences in hatching Silkies? Are they usually hardy when it comes to being viable and forming well? I just have no idea what happened. I mean ... ALL OF THEM?? And the others are just fine (one of the frizzle project embryos just bounced around the inside of the egg a short while ago)....makes no sense. Sad day in this silkie lover's house.

I do not know much about Silkies, but I have read over and over on this board that they are HARD to hatch for some reason. Don't beat yourself up, try again.

 

[Brookhavens]

My first hatch I used 4 homegrown eggs stored at room temp and turned in the egg carton before setting and then I used 2 eggs from the refrigerator that were at least a week old and never turned before setting.

All 6 eggs were from one hen and roo that are alone.

All six developed and hatched into healthy chicks on time. All were incubated on their sides.

I have a feeling that "homegrown" had a lot to do with it too. Local eggs do way better for me than shipped eggs.

 

[Brookhavens]

HELP! My automatic turner broke stopped turning. I have shipped eggs - should I go buy a new one or do you think my hatch rate will be OK if I just turn them manually? I thought I read somewhere it's better to hatch on point with shipped eggs?

Leave them in the turning racks and use something under one side of the bator to elevate it. On my one bator without the turner I use a large Flat rate Priority box (3" high) and switch sides a few times a day. A thick phone book works well too. I find this way much easier than having to open the bator and individually turn each egg.

 

[vwgurl2]

Is it too late to join? We set 7 Ameraucuanas and 5 Orpingtons on Sept 30. This is our second batch and hopefully we will have better luck this time around. We made some adjustments to our incubator for this hatch and hopefully it works!!

 

[Texasmja]

I have a feeling that "homegrown" had a lot to do with it too. Local eggs do way better for me than shipped eggs.

Hey I agree 100%. I will always incubate my homegrown on their sides, more natural.

The shipped eggs are a whole different ball game when it comes to hatching. I have them in an egg carton they are on day 5 and still have detached cells. Very frustrating. I just need some to hatch out that I can use to hatch my own eggs from later. These are show quality eggs, parents are champions. AND the worst thing is they were only shipped about 200 miles. Really a mess.

 

[Brookhavens]

Hey I agree 100%. I will always incubate my homegrown on their sides, more natural.

The shipped eggs are a whole different ball game when it comes to hatching. I have them in an egg carton they are on day 5 and still have detached cells. Very frustrating. I just need some to hatch out that I can use to hatch my own eggs from later. These are show quality eggs, parents are champions. AND the worst thing is they were only shipped about 200 miles. Really a mess.

I hate dealing with shipped eggs too. I keep searching for local (even a few hours away) and can't find what I'm looking for so shipped it has to be. I was talking to a postal employee last week when I picked up my eggs and she told me to consider this: Priority packages can weigh up to 70 lbs. So when your package is on the conveyor belt and drops into the bin a package weighing 70 lbs. could be the next one in line and fall on top of your box. After picturing this scenario I am amazed that any of the eggs hatch.

 

[Brookhavens]

Is it too late to join? We set 7 Ameraucuanas and 5 Orpingtons on Sept 30. This is our second batch and hopefully we will have better luck this time around. We made some adjustments to our incubator for this hatch and hopefully it works!!

Not at all. Welcome to the group!!!