Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Wishing4Wings]

No coop building needed! ... YET! The first coop holds 30, the second 8, and the third will hold "2-4". I was going to put the 4 LF and 2 bantam in that one. Stretching it a bit, but I will see when I get it. It probably is only good for 2 LF or 4 bantams. IDK.
Plus I have the storage room, a metal 10X10 shed, the whole basement, a stairway, front and back sun rooms, a mud room, 2 bedrooms upstairs ...

(I forgot that drooling and sharing your bedroom are symptoms too!)

Just teasing! You know I'm jealous!!! I want chicks too!


A) you have an odd chicken Yes she is. It's very disturbing.

B) It could be that it was a light brown egg looking white.
C) The one running is probably not laying.
D) I remember one thing I wanted to say earlier. RIR roosters are known to be the most likely to be mean. My surprise rooster (I ordered all pullets) is a RIR, and 9-mos-old. No problems yet.
The hens are not (to my knowledge) known to be mean.

I'm not odd! I just want all the food, the top roost, and to be in charge of everyone! Not odd at all. Just a little crazy.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

My amercauna started laying!!!!
Now that's what I call an Easter Egger!!!
Hehehe jk. However, my BR and my RIR are 22 fish weeks, and my amercauna is 21 weeks. On the down hill slide!
Think they are close?

Hard to tell from the pic, but I think they will take a couple more weeks at least. The combs and wattles look like they have more enlarging to do. Anyone squatting yet? Showing any interest in the nest boxes? Really fluffy wide butts? Waiting, waiting, waiting for eggs!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hatching eggs will be here tomorrow. Broody is still waiting and sitting on her golf ball and (probably rotten) egg. Tomorrow practice ends and baby chicks begin.

Ooooo so eggsciting!!!! I did think of some other info I've read about which has to do with the air sac that is in the large end of the egg. When eggs get shipped, especially if they are not packed large end up, the air sac can get dislocated and cause problems later when the chick tries to hatch. Ideally chicks should make their initial pip through the shell within the air sac so they can breathe while completing the hatching process (which can take 24 hrs). Some folks recommend letting the eggs sit out, large end up, for a day before setting to allow the air sac to return to its proper position, but then you are reducing viability by a day. Might be good to do if it looks like the eggs had a rough journey. This is for artificial incubating though, so not sure if it makes any difference that you have one of those fancy feathered incubators. If they they were packed well, I'd probably just go ahead and set them (after dark, like Cheeka said-- that way if Broody is unhappy with the egg exchange, there's not much she can do about it until morning, and will probably have forgotten by then).

Good luck! Take pictures!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Sounds awesome, so many new chicks and eggs!
MC I'm still laughing, I can picture the bike ride home

OK - can't wait to hear the updates & if she takes the eggs!
showbarnmom I am waiting to see when my Australorps will start, they are supposed to be early layers, i know cheeka is waiting too!.
Hatched out 10 more chicks, and am waiting to see if We get any geese this week. I have a couple due as of the 11th

My CX birds ARE laying, they are a nice tan color big egg. can't wait to hatch those and see what i get!

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Quote: Your awesome W4W with all of your help. I should get the eggs before noon today. I will turn the large end up soon as I get them. Wait till dark tonight and put them under the broody. That will probably be 9-12 hours after I get them. I can't see waiting another day and a half just for that reason. Time I would think is just as important. as the air sac being positioned properly. Thanks again

 

[okallthis4eggs]

MC......I didn't know RIR roosters were mean. Thanks for the information. I will only keep one rooster if I even get one. He best pick on somebody his own size. Can't be any meaner than this bunch of hens I am dealing with now that is ripping my little BR apart one feather at a time. Yes Roger is involved too. If its evil she is always involved. I am working on the problem but trying not to disturb or upset the broody. I expect I will have to separate her from the flock as soon as I can. The saddle is not enough protection. She needs full body armour.

 

[showbarnmom]

No squatting, no clucking, no nothing. I've got duds lol. My amercauna sleeps in the nest box. *sigh*

 

[BullChick]

OK, the thing I wanted to mention about broodies is that she could lay in the wrong nest (even if it is empty!) if she has options. I don't think I will separate a broody in my coop, but I am not facing a broody yet, so IDK.
Just something to think about.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

MC......I didn't know RIR roosters were mean. Thanks for the information. I will only keep one rooster if I even get one. He best pick on somebody his own size. Can't be any meaner than this bunch of hens I am dealing with now that is ripping my little BR apart one feather at a time. Yes Roger is involved too. If its evil she is always involved. I am working on the problem but trying not to disturb or upset the broody. I expect I will have to separate her from the flock as soon as I can. The saddle is not enough protection. She needs full body armour.

Don't have any personal experience with RIRs (at least not for about 40 yrs!), but from what folks are saying, the heritage RIRs are a completely different creature than hatchery birds. Not only do they look different, they are much calmer and the roosters are not typically mean. Not lap chickens or anything, but a great all around breed.

long flat backs, low tail set, and very dark mahogany color


hatchery RIRs (production reds)-- nice chickens, but different from the ancestral stock

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Eggs made it here. All of them in good shape. Will be giving them to the broody at dark. Start the clock. Will check in tonight to let yall know how it went.