Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[mortie]

I used a little giant forced air with turner. I know those are a bit hit and miss but my brown eggs all hatched but one. My hatch rate on my America una eggs was lower but I am not sure about that breeder now...

 

[mortie]

Oh dear Lindz...ouch!

 

[BullChick]

I am envious of everyone's coops. Mine may not be the worst, but they are never what they could be. The birds are happy at least. The dragon flew away for season no one ( in their right mind) is looking forward to. I am stuck waiting around for the unicorn eggs. Lindz, I'm sorry you got hurt. W4w, so it isn't my imagination that my girl dying a few days ago is normal?

 

[lazy gardener]

That is why, as much as I want to, I don't even try to incubate any eggs. We are way out in the country on an electric co-op and we have a power outage (from several minutes to several hours) at least once a month and anytime it storms. Our co-op is really good at getting everything back on but I just don't want to take the chance.

I wouldn't give power outages of the lengths you talk about a second thought in the decision to incubate eggs. I also have frequent power outages. Mine can last any way from 2 hours to 12 hours, and at least once or twice a year, 1.5 to 3 days. Storms, gotta plan on an outage. One thing I did do was buy a converter that can be run straight from a car battery, or plugged into a cigarette lighter. That would provide more than enough power to run an incubator through an outage. You also need to remember that Mama hen often gets off her nest. And eggs that have been un-incubated even for up to a day, depending on the time of their development, will still hatch just fine, though may be delayed a bit. So, if you want to, give it a try. What's the worst thing that could happen? (eggs not hatch, some money spent without return) And the best would be a successful hatch, and an other dimension added to this obsessive hobby.

Oh and what's the easiest incubator to use that's not going to cost an arm and leg?

I don't know about easiest, but cheapest way to go while providing a good quality incubator is to make it yourself. If you can wire a lamp, you can make an incubator, and have a lot of fun in the process. Check out the tutorial by "Rush Lane poultry."

Oh dear Lindz...ouch!

I second that. Glad it wasn't in the run, or you'd be suffering some secondary wounds due to Gallus attacks

, not to mention the increased bacterial load to that skin burn.

 

[TNchickmom]

No, I felt that way too.  4 of my hatchery birds, that laid soooo well during their first year, seemed to have burnt out quickly.  Buff orp stopped laying after the first year, but seems healthy, leghorn quit completely after the second year, and sweet golden sexlink and beloved barred rock have recently died at 2½.     I think I will hatch eggs or try to find pullet culls from breeders when I'm ready for new layers.  There are lots of great people within a couple of hours drive. 




What about your dragon???  She should start laying soon, since the unicorn is being stubborn. 






TNchickenmom, the new coop looks fantastic.  They will be really happy in the bigger run.  What kind of quail did you get?  I've heard great things about them, both for eggs and meat.

We got Bob white quail. Just started with 4 females to 1 male to see how they do. I have heard the eggs are lower in cholesterol and the meat is fantastic. My husband is wanting to hatch eggs so I told him we were doing chicken eggs too! We don't have a rooster so I will need to buy some local fertile eggs.

 

[TNchickmom]

And thanks guys on the coop. Not pictured is a big nesting box on the side that my husband built me just yesterday. We bought both coops for $50 that someone just wanted out of his yard! All we did was put new roof on one and nesting box on big one. I plan on painting soon.

 

[Scrambles55]

Wow... I have lots to catch up on. I need ADVICE!!!! We were gone for the weekend and found 6 eggs. (yay!) Here is the question. Should I toss the eggs? They were 2.5 days old (at most) and the temps were in the 80's. Thanks!!

 

[lindz8504]

Scrambles they are probably fine. Just eat them fairly quickly if you are worried...... or just feed them to the girls!

 

[Scrambles55]

Scrambles they are probably fine. Just eat them fairly quickly if you are worried...... or just feed them to the girls!

Thank you.... we will eat them. They are in the fridge.

 

[Scrambles55]

I now have 4 active layers. (not counting Rumples) Jemma laid her first thin shelled egg on Friday. I was gone all weekend and found a yolk in two different nest boxes and another thin egg on the steps. I think they are Jemma's eggs and she is still figuring things out. Nugget has laid 8 days in a row now!!

All of her last 3 eggs have been 54 grams each. I am hoping that they get a bit larger, but I will take whatever she gives me.
I need a shower!! It has been 3 days in elk camp, riding the ATV, sitting by a smoky fire and no shower. . I stink!!