She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[chicapee]

Head up, I got this email. Brinsea has a sale and 20% off.
http://marketing.brinsea.com/acton/...01e4/q-0006/showPreparedMessage?sid=YEtVVXhFG

 

[RubyNala97]

You can, most people aren't comfortable setting more than a week or 10 day old tops. The older the egg (especially past 2 weeks) the lower the hatch rate.

So worst thing is that the older eggs won't develop or will develop but won't hatch?

Maybe open a couple, just to check?

Each one is so precious...lol.

Ruby, how many eggs are you collecting/week right now? Would you be hatching eggs from all of your girls, or do you want to hatch eggs from specific girls? How many chicks do you actually want to hatch? What has been your hatching % in past hatches? Answer these ?'s and it will help you to decide when to start collecting eggs. You could always collect a week's worth of eggs, and then as you collect eggs after that, you could then start to eat the oldest eggs. That way, when you reach set date, you'll have your freshest eggs already collected. When I collect for hatching, I like to put the date laid on the top.

Thanks for this info. The thing is...I only have 2 silkies laying right now! So I'm only getting about 4 eggs a week!! I have 4 eggs right now and was thinking if I got another 8 by the 11th, I could set a dozen. I've never tried to hatch these eggs before. All my others are to young and not laying yet or just starting. I really don't want any chicks but I've had a lot of inquiries through a CL ad I put up for a cockerel. No one wants the cockerel but has asked for chicks, pullets and fertile eggs. So this would just be a sorta test run and I may keep the best 2-3 chicks and try to sell the rest. Im just playing around with the idea of setting again and found an excuse when I saw the annual NYD Hal!

This is straight on, but a month ago. He's filled out a lot since then This is the closest thing I have to a rear shot, and technically this is a totally different rooster. I'm really just posting here so RubyNala can see them. She never calls any more

I know! I'm sorry! Honestly, I haven't been on byc much. I'm taking an online "class" on the sop for silkies and I've been studying up big time so I can start a spring breeding project. Good luck on the hatch. I promise I will stop in and see how it goes! Thanks for thinking of me...no hugs!

 

[Ravynscroft]

So worst thing is that the older eggs won't develop or will develop but won't hatch?
Each one is so precious...lol.
Thanks for this info. The thing is...I only have 2 silkies laying right now! So I'm only getting about 4 eggs a week!! I have 4 eggs right now and was thinking if I got another 8 by the 11th, I could set a dozen. I've never tried to hatch these eggs before. All my others are to young and not laying yet or just starting. I really don't want any chicks but I've had a lot of inquiries through a CL ad I put up for a cockerel. No one wants the cockerel but has asked for chicks, pullets and fertile eggs. So this would just be a sorta test run and I may keep the best 2-3 chicks and try to sell the rest. Im just playing around with the idea of setting again and found an excuse when I saw the annual NYD Hal!
I know! I'm sorry! Honestly, I haven't been on byc much. I'm taking an online "class" on the sop for silkies and I've been studying up big time so I can start a spring breeding project. Good luck on the hatch. I promise I will stop in and see how it goes! Thanks for thinking of me...no hugs!

Viability is biggest factor in older eggs, so mostly what would happen is not developing at all... if you have the space, set them all when you get to the 11th... I have had a 3 week old pullet egg develop and hatch just fine... otherwise if you want to make sure they're all viable, do a staggered hatch... 1 week between setting usually is a good spacing...

 

[WalnutHill]

One thing to watch for when collecting eggs over time is to control the humidity so that the air cells on the oldest are not far larger than the freshest when you turn the heat on.

 

[WVduckchick]

The ones that I just set, I was not intending to set, so I did not control humidity or temp or anything with the eggs. They had been sitting on the kitchen counter. The oldest duck egg (8 days) air cell was barely larger than the egg laid that day. The chicken eggs varied a little more, and some of them were a bit older, but I set them anyway.

 

[lazy gardener]

So worst thing is that the older eggs won't develop or will develop but won't hatch?
Each one is so precious...lol.
Thanks for this info. The thing is...I only have 2 silkies laying right now! So I'm only getting about 4 eggs a week!! I have 4 eggs right now and was thinking if I got another 8 by the 11th, I could set a dozen. I've never tried to hatch these eggs before. All my others are to young and not laying yet or just starting. I really don't want any chicks but I've had a lot of inquiries through a CL ad I put up for a cockerel. No one wants the cockerel but has asked for chicks, pullets and fertile eggs. So this would just be a sorta test run and I may keep the best 2-3 chicks and try to sell the rest. Im just playing around with the idea of setting again and found an excuse when I saw the annual NYD Hal!
I know! I'm sorry! Honestly, I haven't been on byc much. I'm taking an online "class" on the sop for silkies and I've been studying up big time so I can start a spring breeding project. Good luck on the hatch. I promise I will stop in and see how it goes! Thanks for thinking of me...no hugs!

Well, now... that puts a different spin on the plan. In that case, if I were you, I'd save them all and set them all. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

[WalnutHill]

The ones that I just set, I was not intending to set, so I did not control humidity or temp or anything with the eggs. They had been sitting on the kitchen counter. The oldest duck egg (8 days) air cell was barely larger than the egg laid that day. The chicken eggs varied a little more, and some of them were a bit older, but I set them anyway.

Over the course of a few days, it's not much of an issue, but if you try to hold eggs for two or three weeks you will see a marked difference in air cells. I've incubated up to four week old eggs but nothing over 23 days has hatched, and then not without difficulty.

 

[rossfam06]

Well..... ......Wicket did not survive the night. . We will be having a burial after nap time. I'm so heartbroken. She was my favorite!!!! And she never laid me an egg.

 

[RubyNala97]

One thing to watch for when collecting eggs over time is to control the humidity so that the air cells on the oldest are not far larger than the freshest when you turn the heat on.

Great point!

Well, now... that puts a different spin on the plan.  In that case, if I were you, I'd save them all and set them all.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Exactly!!

Well..... ......Wicket did not survive the night. . We will be having a burial after nap time. I'm so heartbroken. She was my favorite!!!! And she never laid me an egg.

Oh Ross, I'm so very sorry! That's such sad news! I will have silkie eggs/chicks/pullets in spring.

 

[rossfam06]

Thank you. That was a hard loss for me. And thank you for offering your fluffy eggs!!