shipped eggs hatch rate?

[dekel18042]

Just like with so many other things, everyone has their opinion as to what works best for them. My broody is quite experienced and has a good hatch rate, but I also did not want to leave everything up to her, just in case something went wrong. Likewise, I did not want to leave everything up to the incubator either, just in case something went wrong on that end. Hence, I set half of my shipped eggs under the broody and half in the incubator. (My own version of "Never put all your eggs in one basket.") I also equally divided the eggs that arrived with good air cells, and the eggs that arrived with detached air cells, between the two to keep things "fair". I'm anxious to see which does better in my little experiment... the broody or the 'bator. Only time will tell, but since they are shipped eggs, I'm trying not to get my hopes up!

Whatever way you choose to hatch, good luck!

Glad your experiment worked out for you, but just thinking here about the eggs with problem air cells. You said you gave half to your broody. But with bad air cells I usually let them rest for a day or day and a half before putting in the incubator, keeping the turner off for the first three days and being careful of their position. Isn't that something a broody wouldn't do? or would do hit and miss? I have to wonder how much of the broody hatch on the bad air cells was due to luck. Did you mark which eggs were which so you can tell which hatched?

 

[trailrider330]

Glad your experiment worked out for you, but just thinking here about the eggs with problem air cells. You said you gave half to your broody. But with bad air cells I usually let them rest for a day or day and a half before putting in the incubator, keeping the turner off for the first three days and being careful of their position. Isn't that something a broody wouldn't do? or would do hit and miss? I have to wonder how much of the broody hatch on the bad air cells was due to luck. Did you mark which eggs were which so you can tell which hatched?

I allowed each of the eggs to settle between 12-30 hours, depending on how bad each air cell was, to give the air cells time to reattach before placing under the broody or in the incubator. So, by time they were placed under the broody or in the incubator, the air cells all looked much better. Hence, I did not mark the eggs.

I think any time you are dealing with shipped eggs, whether they are under a broody or in an incubator, it is all about luck! So, I don't think my broody was any luckier than the incubator.

 

[OldMcDnld]

Thought I would give you an update on my little "experiment".

My broody hatched 6 out of 8 eggs.
The incubator also hatched 6 out of 8 eggs.
Hence, my experiment ended in a tie.

I told myself I would be happy if only 3 of the 16 hatched since they were shipped eggs. With 12 having actually hatched, I am elated!

I ended up grafting the incubator chicks to the broody tonight. When my normally very docile broody, heard me coming with peeping chicks under cover of night, she jumped out of the nest, looked all around her pen for the chicks, decided I was the one "hurting" them and came charging after me. I got her back on the nest and stuck the chicks under her the best I could and she tucked them the rest of the way under her. I checked on them periodically, and all seems to be going well.

This all reminded me of additional reasons why opting for the broody is nice... no need for a light/heat source, mama teaches them everything they need to know, and they are more easily, and quickly, integrated into the rest of the flock.

@OldMcDnld, were you able to break your remaining broody in the end?

After 6 days in the broody breaker, I let her back in the yard and she has wanted nothing to do with the coop ever since. She goes up to roost in the flocks favorite tree to scratch under at dusk every night. I'm still having to grab her out and put her on the roost in the coop each evening. In the morning she is in the run with the sunrise just waiting for the door to open. The chicks are 12 days old and Phoebe hen doesn't let them out of the nest until Bonnie is out for the day.


Congratulations on your hatching success

 

[OldMcDnld]

Tomorrow will be the 5th day of treatment with Corid after one chick acting sluggish and finding a suspicious poop

They're all doing great now. Pretty sure I've got two cockerels and three pullets.

Going to try and make it work with two Roos.

 

[trailrider330]

After 6 days in the broody breaker, I let her back in the yard and she has wanted nothing to do with the coop ever since. She goes up to roost in the flocks favorite tree to scratch under at dusk every night. I'm still having to grab her out and put her on the roost in the coop each evening. In the morning she is in the run with the sunrise just waiting for the door to open. The chicks are 12 days old and Phoebe hen doesn't let them out of the nest until Bonnie is out for the day.


Congratulations on your hatching success

Sorry to hear that things are not going as planned. That can be frustrating.

 

[Choco Maran]

I have four Roosters in one coop with 20 hens and there has not yet been a fight. The rooster all grow up together and I feel this is why they get along.

 

[OldMcDnld]

Sorry to hear that things are not going as planned. That can be frustrating.

It's so sad how lonely Bonnie seems to be all by herself

 

[OldMcDnld]

I have four Roosters in one coop with 20 hens and there has not yet been a fight. The rooster all grow up together and I feel this is why they get along.

My rooster to hen ratio is going to be 1: 2.5

I hope my hens don't hate me for being over bred

I might need more hens. The coop I'm building will facilitate 12 birds, maybe more since they free range.

I'm thinking about a second hatch later this summer but the reason I'm keeping both of the males from this one is because I have no where to send extra roosters.

 

[OldMcDnld]

I was going to clip Bonnie's wing this weekend because she has been roaming lately with Phoebe always chasing her off and what not.

I procrastinated and now she is gone as of this afternoon

The whole family looked for her until dark.

She wont last long in the open desert

 

[OldMcDnld]

We found her!!!