Shipped eggs?

[Frosty]

I kinda... won some eggs on eBay. Now what? Any tips and tricks for hatching? I think someone here said it's better to start them under a broody hen? Please give me your best advice!

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Once I get them(and I get alot) they are allowed to sit for 12 hours,pointy side down,I make sure they are marked good,and in the bator they go.Broody hens are nice if you have them,but with some incubators upwards of $1000 now,,and all digital everything I consider them just as reliable unless the power goes out.

 

[japbantams2011]

My advice to anyone that buys eggs from me off ebay is when the eggs arrive check them with a flashlight in a dark room make sure there aren't any cracks and check the air sack if you see something floating around in the egg like a bubble if you move the egg and it will follow you then the egg will not hatch the air sack has been broken during shipment and of course if there are any cracks or breaks throw them out they wont hatch. And I recommend letting the eggs set 24 hours at least 12 hours so they can settle I highly recommend a good broody hen, for me it seems like the eggs always hatch better. Hope this helps

 

[Frosty]

I have a Speckled Sussex hen that I am checking now to see if she will go broody. She isn't yet but I just put her in the rabbit cage that she was in last year when she hatched a peachick for me (the egg was from my peas, two years old at the time). My incubator is an older modle GQF cabinet, nothing digital.

I just checked on the hen, looks like so far she has scratched all of the straw out of the nest. Ugh... I was hoping that the cage would remind her and she would start setting! Maybe she'll sit on the eggs when it gets dark out and remember... I can hope. I do know that when she decides to set eggs, she does a wonderful job and is an excellent mother!

 

[racuda]

My vote is for a broody. I got 9 eggs on ebay and put them under a buff orpington. Next Saturday I'm expecting all 9 to hatch. I candled them and they all look good.

 

[YYZ]

Quote:
Where do you put them to sit for the 12 hours?

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I use a spare tray that goes in the bator,to put them in,and they sit on the countertop or on top of the bator until it's time. That way I only handle them once.

 

[Frosty]

Quote:
Is that 9 peafowl eggs, or another kind? I do have a Buff Orpington hen that seems to be acting broody, but she's probably the same one as last year that wanted to sit on eggs until I moved her to private quarters. I have some time to work with here, so maybe I should try with her again and whoever will stay on eggs first gets the pea eggs. I just won the bid yesterday, so at least they aren't here yet... I might have a turkey going broody too, but I would prefer to be able to candle the eggs without risking fingers and eyes...

 

[racuda]

Yes, 9 peafowl eggs. She covers them fine.

 

[Frosty]

Quote:
Thank you!!! That gives me hope that I can get at least some out of these... I am really nervous about it. More than with any of the shipped chicken eggs that I got.