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Squeak61

Squeak61

Songster
5 Years
May 22, 2017
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Connecticut
Hi everyone :) I've been getting a lot of conflicting information, so I was hoping to find a clear answer here. I just ordered 6 hatching eggs from My Pet Chicken. I've heard several people say that after receiving shipped eggs, it's best to to let them rest at room temperature for 24 hours, with the pointed side down. However, after ordering the eggs, My Pet Chicken sent me an email (pictured below) saying that this is a very bad idea. I'm very confused now about what to do. I'm not using an incubator, I'm using a broody hen, so I can't let them rest point down while still being warmed. Thoughts on what to do? This is my first time with hatching eggs, so I want to make sure I'm doing everything right to the best of my ability.

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Is this your first hatch? I think the reason you let them settle for a couple days after recieving the eggs is because shipping is very hard on the air cell inside the egg and letting them sit for a day or so allows the air pocket(s) to re connect. The email says settling is a good idea. But they are saying let them settle inside the incubator (by not turning for the first day or two). As for point down, that is also for shipped eggs to allow the jostled air cell to re connect, and since chicks hatch at the big end (their little heads are usually at that end of the egg) letting them settle point down allows the air cell to settle in the area it needs to be in for a normally hatching chick. Having said all that, there are invariably some chicks that hatch at the wrong end and don't pip into the air cell and can have problems. We aren't talking about that, that's a whole 'nother issue. This is general advice for general hatching. Under a momma bird it's not like that. The eggs lay(lie??) on their sides the whole time, just getting moved during day to day activity, they aren't shipped. Go with the email and put them in the bator when you get them and leave them to sit the first day or so with the bator at the proper temp and humidity and the turner off. The air cell may or may not re-settle in the big end but that doesn't mean they're doomed. Hatch rates for shipped eggs is much lower than for non shipped, and there's not a whole lot you can do about that, the whole sitting-on-the-counter-for-at-least-24-hours thing is an attempt to improve hatch rates. My understanding is that as long as you start incubating within a week your eggs should be fine. My question to the shipper would be, "just how old are these eggs if I have to set them immediately?" I dunno, just my opinion. Good luck and keep us posted on how it all works out!
 
AlderCreekFarms said:
Is this your first hatch? I think the reason you let them settle for a couple days after recieving the eggs is because shipping is very hard on the air cell inside the egg and letting them sit for a day or so allows the air pocket(s) to re connect. The email says settling is a good idea. But they are saying let them settle inside the incubator (by not turning for the first day or two). As for point down, that is also for shipped eggs to allow the jostled air cell to re connect, and since chicks hatch at the big end (their little heads are usually at that end of the egg) letting them settle point down allows the air cell to settle in the area it needs to be in for a normally hatching chick. Having said all that, there are invariably some chicks that hatch at the wrong end and don't pip into the air cell and can have problems. We aren't talking about that, that's a whole 'nother issue. This is general advice for general hatching. Under a momma bird it's not like that. The eggs lay(lie??) on their sides the whole time, just getting moved during day to day activity, they aren't shipped. Go with the email and put them in the bator when you get them and leave them to sit the first day or so with the bator at the proper temp and humidity and the turner off. The air cell may or may not re-settle in the big end but that doesn't mean they're doomed. Hatch rates for shipped eggs is much lower than for non shipped, and there's not a whole lot you can do about that, the whole sitting-on-the-counter-for-at-least-24-hours thing is an attempt to improve hatch rates. My understanding is that as long as you start incubating within a week your eggs should be fine. My question to the shipper would be, "just how old are these eggs if I have to set them immediately?" I dunno, just my opinion. Good luck and keep us posted on how it all works out!
Click to expand...
Wow, thank you so much for all the information! This is my first batch, and since I’m using a broody hen and not an incubator, I feel a little in the dark. I’ll definitely keep everyone posted!
 
Here's an update for ya.
I have been reading another thread about hatching and several have gotten shipped eggs with instructions to put them in the bator right away because the hot weather can cause the eggs to start developing. Duh, I hadn't considered that but it makes perfect sense! Sorry for the run-on sentence lol.
 
AlderCreekFarms said:
Here's an update for ya.
I have been reading another thread about hatching and several have gotten shipped eggs with instructions to put them in the bator right away because the hot weather can cause the eggs to start developing. Duh, I hadn't considered that but it makes perfect sense! Sorry for the run-on sentence lol.
Click to expand...
What about if a broody hen is being used??
 

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