Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[okallthis4eggs]

I'm learning cheeka. I read one guy marks them with a sharpie. Next time I will isolate the broody so she can do her thing without all of the extra help. The addition I will start building after the chicks hatch (if they hatch) will be a broody/ isolation pen and quarters that I can open up to the whole flock when none of that is necessary. Still thinking thru it but have a good idea how I will do it. Not going to disturb anything until the hatch is over then I can go to work.

 

[cheeka]

7 eggs so far, and the boys have been outside since this morning, I'll let the girls out this afternoon... only Royce and Sirus have taken dirt baths. Archie was in the fighting mood, so he's back inside the bachelor pen alone, but he has run of the whole thing. Carl is pining at the front of the dome. just standing there, occasionally looking for a way under the door...

I have more than one new cream colored egg layer. I found 4 cream eggs today. One is BR. another is large, but not round shaped like the BR eggs, might be a double yolk, and then there were 2 small pullet eggs... when I was first finding the tiny cream eggs, it looked almost like the tint layer was missed or very lightly applied... they are cream, but they are tinted, slightly bluish... when I turn them around in the sunlight, they change slightly... it's such a nice balance, they look pink in the basket and will offset the massive quantity of blue/green... that I now have... thanks OK, I think my girls (and boys) are lovely... so I'm biased, it's always nice to hear from others who think I am doing a good job with my flock!


eta the switch was made around 1, put the boys inside, fairly easily too which was very nice, and let the girls out. i'm up to 11 eggs so far, Blu and Isis are in the nest together now, and Wilma is stalking for a spot... so I might just end up with 14!

it's gorgeous outside! must be close to 70*, nice light breeze. lovin' it!

 

[BullChick]

I caught both of my broodys off of the nest yesterday which was great. I really needed to see what they were sitting on besides the fertile eggs. I marked Rogers hatching eggs and they are lighter than the eggs that the Comets have been laying beside her. That was easy. I got four good eggs that I can keep for eating. The big broody BO was the tough part. She had six extra eggs that made her egg count 17. So the challenge was to remove the eggs that were not fertile without taking a egg that was or is going to hatch. The pencil markings are all rubbed off now and the eggs all looked pretty much alike. So I had to work quick to find the bad eggs and leave the good. The automatic door opener I have on the pop door has a light on it so I quickly started taking a egg at a time and holding it to the light. Had to find the six eggs that didn't belong. I found six and kept them separate from the eggs I got from Rogers snake pit. I don't want to make a mistake and give somebody a egg with a chicken in it. Might gross somebody out. Also I don't know how long she had them under her at 100+ degrees. They could be rotten. Cracked open each egg I took from that nest and all but one was a normal egg. One egg looked like it was scrambled inside the shell. Nothing to indicate it was ever going to develop into a chicken. I think it was just a egg that got buried under the bedding in the nest box that was not fertile and was about to rot. The five good looking eggs that I have no idea how long she had them under her got cooked and they will eat them today. (Not me). Less than a week to go now. Both broodys sitting tight. If all goes according to plan next Sunday Roger should be a mommy. Big BO should be a octamom

I would be afraid that a marker would leak through. Maybe scribble over a large portion of the egg?
You are getting me excited! My first hatch is due next Wednesday!

 

[kian]

My dad suggested using a sharpie, it's what he used. I sort of have my doubts.

I just go in every day and tilt up the broody and grab whatever eggs aren't the fertile ones. It helps that she has olive eggs under her and no one lays those and it also helps that she's kicked two of the layers out of the nest so I only have 2 others laying next to her.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I would be afraid that a marker would leak through. Maybe scribble over a large portion of the egg?
You are getting me excited! My first hatch is due next Wednesday!

Try using a Sharpie on an unwashed, room temp egg and see if it leaks through. Crayon or wax pencil might work too.

 

[cheeka]

I think I would stick with pencil, but doing a sharpie test on a tosser egg is a good idea. the #4 pencil is much darker and heavier than #2, I think they still sell them at proper stationers. not walmart... wax pencils or crayons might melt off with the warmth of the broody and the wiping of the feathers...

17 eggs! 17! 20 would be a perfect day, so 17 is fabulous! a few of the younger girls are still a little smaller overall, and with smaller combs, I suspect those are the 3 who are not yet laying, but they are only 19 weeks old, so sheesh! I never never expected to have any of them laying yet, much less nearly all of them! Olive's larger egg from yesterday was a fluke, so I'm thinking double yolk. her egg from today was back to pee wee size. Come to think of it, they all could be laying, I don't know who lays what out of the new group, except for Olive... could be a day off for 3. got 7 out of 7 from the older group.

 

[cheeka]

Coral took credit for Blu's egg, and she tried to roll off and nest with a handful that I had outside on a straw bale. looks like she might not be laying yet as she is quite slim and small, small comb... but she sang the egg song loudly today (for Blu's egg...) so if she isn't laying yet, she will soon... she's very interested in the eggs... might be a symptom of Rogeritis.

 

[cheeka]

Coral trying to sit on the last 5 eggs i collected. good sign of future broodiness? or Rogeritis causing her to claim them all as her own??

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Coral trying to sit on the last 5 eggs i collected. good sign of future broodiness? or Rogeritis causing her to claim them all as her own??

Could be both. But the real big hint that they are broody is sleeping in the nest box instead of roosting with the flock.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Wow...17 eggs. I remember wondering if you were going to ever get your first egg. Saturday is the big day here. Why?......because it was one year ago Saturday that I got my first chickens. Remember it well because the first Saturday in May in Kentucky is "Derby Day". And also the broodys should hatch the eggs on.... Saturday. So once again on the first Saturday in May (i hope) to get chickens again. None of it planned that way thats how it all worked out.