Simulated Natural Nest Incubation~Experiment #1 So it begins....

[aart]

You can see porosity by candling before setting.

 

[enola]

I have hatched lots of pullet eggs. My experience has been that if I have problems with eggs hatching it will be pullet eggs. And if I have problems with growth or unhealthy chicks they were chicks from pullet eggs. So for the last 2 years I haven't hatched pullet eggs, bigger healthier chicks, happier me.

 

[enola]

And 90% or better hatch rates in my little giant incubator. I turn them by hand twice a day and use the dry incubation method.

 

[fisherlady]

Quote: The irregularity in the shell thickness which indicates porosity is visible on candling, the amount of light varies greatly in splotches or large speckles. The surface may look good, and may feel smooth and be an even color, but the shell's true thickness has a lot of weaker or thinner spots which allow light through differently than the more solid areas. They can still hatch, but like pullet eggs, I just don't like the odds when the broody is spending so much effort on them.
We have a favored hen who unfortunately lays a more porous egg... no matter what supplement she gets. I have tried twice to hatch her egg under a broody and once it ended up broke, the other time the hen pushed it out after the first week and I found it had quit early on. So I quit setting her eggs because I didn't want to waste the egg room if I had eggs with better chances. Which I hate, since I really like this hen, she is everything good about a barnyard girl... but practicality rules, so no more eggs from her (though I still check hers each time I have a broody to see if she miraculously laid a nice solid shelled egg! LOL)

 

[pogmobum]

https://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl...ed=0CDYQhBwwAA&iact=rc&page=1&start=0&ndsp=13

 

[fisherlady]

https://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl...ed=0CDYQhBwwAA&iact=rc&page=1&start=0&ndsp=13

great example pic!

 

[pogmobum]

great example pic! 

Anything to help been following from the start

 

[Beekissed]

So, candle before starting then to detect the porous ones. I noticed the Delaware eggs were speckled and porous like this pic. Now, pullet eggs....what does that mean to you folks? To me that is the small, first eggs laid by a pullet in her first month or so of laying but once they reach normal size and shape I consider that a mature egg. What say you?

 

[pogmobum]

Same here for the first month or so mine are double yolkers and funny shapes but once they are consistently laying regularly shaped single yolked eggs i consider them mature.

 

[enola]

Yes after they reach normal size, I use them.