Shipped Egg Question

[Seth_12]

I order some hatching eggs on ebay and one of them is on the way while the other hasn't shipped yet. My concern is they won't arrive at the same time and I tried to purchase then together so they would be shipped out on the same day. Note I bought them from 2 different sellers. I have two broody hens that I am going use to incubate them but I know now one of the ebay eggs will come first before the other. My question is would it be ok to wait for the other eggs to arrive before putting them with my hens? I want to incubate them at same time so I can just use one of the hens to raise all of the chicks.

 

[Kellyjenny]

I don't know anything about booty hens but I do know how long you can keep your eggs out to be incubated did the first batch arrived?

 

[Seth_12]

I don't know anything about booty hens but I do know how long you can keep your eggs out to be incubated did the first batch arrived?

The first batch is coming either on Wednesday or Thursday. I been monitoring it with the tracking number and I know it's moving. The other batch all it says is the shipping label has been made but the USPS hasn't receive the package.

 

[Chicalina]

I've got a similar situation with two Ebay purchases. Hopefully they won't arrive too far apart.

How many eggs, and why only one hen to raise raise chicks?

 

[Seth_12]

I've got a similar situation with two Ebay purchases. Hopefully they won't arrive too far apart.

How many eggs, and why only one hen to raise raise chicks?

So each order there are 12++ eggs. The reason why I am only going to use one hen is number of things. The main reason is I only have room for one hen and her chicks. I have limited space so it would be easier for me. Second, one of the hens is a first time broody and I am little scared because I had two other first time mothers not to long ago and they killed their chicks. I know all hens are different but I want to make sure the chicks survive and the hen I am using to raise the chicks has experience and is a great mom.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

One hen is not going to be able to keep that many chicks warm

 

[Chicalina]

You can raise chicks with the flock. That cuts out the space problem.

And you will be lucky to get a hen to hatch 12++ (how many exactly is that?) each, and then for one hen to raise 24++++ chicks. She won't be able to look after them all.

I've got an experienced hen and a novice pullet brooding atm so I share your worries. But I think you'll lose too many chicks by expecting too much of the hens.

I managed to get 13 eggs under my bantam but it was a tight squeeze and they were all teeny eggs (seramas, sebrights, OEGB). It was a gamble, and she was as flat as a pancake. Thankfully, after a week, I candled and took away 3 infertile ones. If the remaining 10 hatch she will still be stretched I reckon but I'm expecting 1 or 2 hatching losses.

 

[Seth_12]

One hen is not going to be able to keep that many chicks warm

Well if you think about it not all of the eggs will hatch. Shipped eggs usually decreases the hatch rate and I know not all of them are going to hatch. And because it’s getting warmer the chicks wouldn’t have to go under their mom that much. So I’m not really worry about the chicks being warm enough

 

[Chicalina]

I'll add that I'm planning on letting the other hen sit on her clutch inside the coop in an old cat litter tray with lid.

 

[Chicalina]

So how many eggs exactly are you putting under each hen?

I'm expecting 12 eggs to arrive in two parcels. I'm planning on sitting them pointy side down for 24hrs to let the air sac settle. If I find that some do and some don't, then I'll just put the fixed air sac eggs under the broody. If none fix themselves, then I'll probably try all of them for a week because I've got nothing to lose.

But even in a warm climate, how many chicks do you think a hen can realistically raise?