Setting Safeway eggs..... Yikes... see thread on 3 legged chick

[jeaucamom]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/04/07/FDGNM5VF9B1.DTL

We were in the Safeway in our new town and saw they had the fertile eggs. So we got some just for an experiment and set them this morning. Decided to google "Rock Island" the brand name and found this great article on them. I think they will be RIR and Plymouth Rock crosses. I will post updates when we candle.

Great article on the family they came from and how good the hens have it.

 

[tiki244]

well Im sure the hens have it better than the battery cage hens, but I dont know how good they have it compared to farm chickens

 

[K&H Chicken Farm]

good luck, i have 5 of mine growing like weeds

 

[tiki244]

Shelly what breed did yours end up being?

 

[twigg]

Quote:
The results will depend on a few factors.

Eggs need to be under a week old for best results. If they are 3 weeks old (which is still perfectly fresh for store sale), hatch rate could be extremely low. If they have been refridgerated (and they will have been), this too compromises hatch rate.

People have had good results with store fertile eggs, so don't give up

What you might get is another question. Plymouth Rock x RIR is a standard commercial layer. The chicks you get will depend on the roosters the layers were run with. Whatever they are, the resulting hens are not likely to be as productive as their first cross parents, but could make very handsome backyard birds, with decent, if unspectacular, egg production.

Good Luck

 

[jeaucamom]

We just moved them into the hatcher... it is day 19 today. We have 10 out of 12 looking very good. We are trying the carton method, but with most of the cup cut off, so only a little left at the bottom.

I can't wait to see what we get!! With a name like Rock Island, I am assuming they are either RIR or RIW crossed with some color Rock. The eggs are HUGE and brown. Well, Wedsnesday we will see!!

Come on chickies

 

[ChicknThief]

We have a pip!

 

[jeaucamom]

We have 4 Pips!!!!!!!!!!

 

[arlee453]

So cool - come on chickies!!

 

[SoccerMomof7]

Any chicks yet?