Swapping hardboiled eggs for fertile eggs?

[PouleChick]

Hi,
I picked up my fertile eggs today and as per the breeders instructions I have them resting on their sides for 24 hours after driving so tomorrow i'll be putting them under her - I was going to do it when she gets up for food and a drink etc. Is this right?

Another quick question that is worrying me - wont' she notice when I put 'cold' eggs in instead of the massively hot ones she is currently sitting on? Can this cause her to reject the eggs or will her feathers keep her from noticing?

Thanks in advance.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi,
I picked up my fertile eggs today and as per the breeders instructions I have them resting on their sides for 24 hours after driving so tomorrow i'll be putting them under her - I was going to do it when she gets up for food and a drink etc. Is this right?

Another quick question that is worrying me - wont' she notice when I put 'cold' eggs in instead of the massively hot ones she is currently sitting on? Can this cause her to reject the eggs or will her feathers keep her from noticing?

Thanks in advance.

That's a good question.

How long has she been broody? My gals will brood air. I will tuck eggs while she is in the nest and make sure she tucks them under and adjusts real well. Broody's don't seem super smart but they are often determined.

I would probably use wood eggs before hard boiled or even just regular eggs... she has to not break the fertile ones too. But whatever works for you.

Be sure to mark your hatching eggs so no other ladies can sneak new ones under her. And check daily to remove fresh deposits made to the nest.

Happy hatching...

 

[PouleChick]

Thanks!

How long has she been broody?

i can't remember if it was Friday or Saturday - so 5 or 6 days. @Ridgerunner suggested that waiting about a week is good to check she is serious about it so that is what I have done.

I would probably use wood eggs before hard boiled or even just regular eggs... she has to not break the fertile ones too. But whatever works for you.

I originally put the hardboiled ones in to encourage her to go broody (as suggested by someone on here) when I still had some fertile eggs from the silkies (I got them from a place with a rooster). It worked (just not in time for my silkie eggs!).

Be sure to mark your hatching eggs so no other ladies can sneak new ones under her.

Will do - I'm probably going to seperate her so that no one hassles her, she is already set up in a small coop with only one other silkie sleeping only in there with her and the eggs are all big chicken eggs so should be OK but I do will mark them anyway. What should I use? The lady I bought them off has written in pencil (breed) but guessing that will soon rub off but read that Sharpies aren't good either.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is debate on what to mark them with. People can always find some excuse to not do something, I guess there are real or perceived risks for everything.

When I was a kid I'd use a soft-leaded pencil (dark) to mark the eggs. I'd lay the pencil lead flat against the egg so I made a wide dark mark. A hard-leaded pencil was too light. My only goal was to mark the eggs so I'd know which belonged and which did not. I'd make two circles on the eggs, one the short way and one the long way, so I could tell at a glance which belonged.

Now that I am old and they have developed Sharpies I use those. I still make the same two circles and I usually get good hatches. To go under broody hens I use black and just put the circles. I do not write messages on them.

When I hatch in an incubator I use red or black Sharpies to write information on them. That's just for my curiosity so I can keep track of each egg during hatch. I personally am not worried about whether an egg is marked with a Sharpie or a pencil, but some people are concerned. Do what you are comfortable with.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I originally put the hardboiled ones in to encourage her to go broody (as suggested by someone on here) when I still had some fertile eggs from the silkies (I got them from a place with a rooster). It worked (just not in time for my silkie eggs!).

That's a myth and coincidence in my opinion. Broody is hormonal and my gals are excessively broody even though I collect eggs EVERY single day. Good safe and comfortable environment and good nutrition... are the biggest factors... in addition to the individual gal regardless of breed.

I generally can't disagree with ridgerunner... good experience there.

I too found pencil too hard to see and it rubbed off quickly under my broody. I Love the circle method described! I also use sharpie in my incubator and # my eggs and mark my final air cell before lock down. I don't use red anymore though because it always looked like a blood vessel was pipped. I do use pencil for every egg I collect and write the date or sometimes which lady it came from, even on my eating eggs.

You can try crayola non toxic markers if you want. I've been using sharpie since I started and have fantastic hatches all the time. Even 100% often.

Once you KNOW your girls you may not have to wait a week to know they are serious. My commonly broody gals start giving me indicators 2-3 days ahead before they start staying inside the box. So I usually know it's coming. But since I am familiar with them... I know these ladies aren't foolin around and they mean business.. so I don't have to wait anymore. One exception is if I am tucking live chicks under... I like them to have set for about a week so they can be tired of setting and ready to take chicks out before too long.

Live chick adoptions are GREAT option too, if you don't have a plan for the extra cockerels you WILL hatch or simply don't want your gal sitting that long (in my case). And it gives a nice opportunity to try other breeds I don't already have. Feed stores have a huge variety this time of year. And as long as they are UNDER 6 days old I have carried out way too many successful adoptions... never failed YET.

Hope your experience is fantastic!

 

[PouleChick]

Thank you both!

There is debate on what to mark them with. People can always find some excuse to not do something, I guess there are real or perceived risks for everything.

Seems there is debate on everything with chickens If I need to mark in the future I think I'll just use Sharpies then!

Once you KNOW your girls you may not have to wait a week to know they are serious

That is good to know!

Live chick adoptions are GREAT option too

It is funny I have not seen any one day chicks for sale here in France of interesting breeds (but then I've not been looking beyond a couple of sites), the only ones I've spotted in the shops are just red laying hens so havent' looked at this option. I have now made contact with the breeder who I got the eggs from and she is in the local Poultry club which has 40 members so I feel like I could explore this option if I needed to.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Seems there is debate on everything with chickens

That is true...

But, there is good reason. What works for me may not work for my neighbor or my best friend. And certainly not someone in another country. Or it may! That is because we all have different set ups, mind sets, resources, abilities, weather, and birds. No matter how much I say you gotta do it at 6 AM, if that's what time you head for bed it simply it ain't gonna work for you. I'm a cautious over thinker but meet lot's of careless adventurers. Doesn't make them wrong, it makes them different. Always feel free to get a second opinion and do what makes sense to YOU. They are your birds this is your life and YOU HAVE to live with your decisions.

But that's what's great about BYC, we are all here to share our experiences and to learn from and help each other. I still see lot's of misinformation going around like "feed them corn to stay warm in winter", on here (or leave eggs to make them broody). But we all do our best until we learn something better and then we switch it up if need be.

Feed store chicks, at least here, even if labeled 1 day old are usually at least 3 due to the time spent in shipping. I'm not surprised that it's difficult to find interesting breeds... since utility always sells. You might be able to talk with them and see if they can order in the interesting breed with their order. Many of our stores here will work with us like this. Some of our hatcheries will also ship smaller orders for a bit more of a fee during certain times of the year, according to weather.

 

[PouleChick]

But, there is good reason. What works for me may not work for my neighbor or my best friend. And certainly not someone in another country. Or it may! That is because we all have different set ups, mind sets, resources, abilities, weather, and birds.

Absolutely! I'm glad I know about the egg thing now - what a waste of eggs hardboiling them and sticking them in the nest for ages I think I can trust that she'll be able to do what she needs to do - I'm so impressed with her!

Sorry I forgot to update on the swap I went this afternoon and lifted her off her nest (I was actually quite worried she hasn't been getting up to eat and drink - I've posted about that in another post) and sat her next to food and water just outside the coop so I could get the couple of poops cleaned up from where Doris was sleeping and swapped out the hardboiled eggs and 2 of Doris's (that is 4 I've chucked of hers in the last 4 or 5 days!) for the new fertile ones! I kind of sprinkled some of the wood shavings on top to disguise the fact that some of them are blue . She refused to eat or drink and headed straight back to her nest, nudged them a bit, sat down and started gathering them under her was so lovely to watch that happen - she seems like such a good mummy already! .

And to update on the Doris situation, I have been locking her out of the run and coop all day so she has only been sleeping in there (and obviously managing to lay her eggs before I get there!) but today we finally got our coop finished and installed so she is sleeping (quite happily it seems) with the big girls and Hermione now has the whole small maternity ward coop to herself. I have moved the waterer inside into the area where the nest box was and food as well so she won't even have to go outside if she doesn't want to.

So the count down is on Interestingly the breeder said that she finds her Aracuanas almost always hatch at day 20 and the rest at day 21 so I'll be looking out 2 / 3 of May

Thanks for your help so far everyone.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have moved the waterer inside into the area where the nest box was and food as well so she won't even have to go outside if she doesn't want to.

I think they need the exercise... and to poop outside (that's where it's easier for me to clean).

They usually go once or twice per day and I have found it often isn't during the coldest part of day OR when I am watching them. I think overall digestive or metabolic function is changed to accommodate the sitting. Kinda like animals that hibernate.

And recently through observation, think I've discovered that broody shaking isn't caused by diminished muscle strength or condition as I originally thought... since I don't let my gals sit most the time and they are shaky almost immediately. I think that might be how they keep the temp regulated for their eggs.

Seems there are true physiological changes that take place. (as if I truly even know what that word means! )

That should be interesting to see... I haven't yet had ANY breed hatch the wrong day without having temp issues. Not bantams or large fowl.

Glad your mama's doing great! They are a sight to behold, adjusting their nest and laying hay pieces across their backs. Gently rolling eggs around... and biting the crud out of your hand.

 

[PouleChick]

I think they need the exercise... and to poop outside (that's where it's easier for me to clean).

yes I agree, I think i'll carry on as normal then and put the food and water in over night but then open the coop and move them out when I move the over off the front of it. already opened up this morning, I'll move the food and water out later. No sign of poo!

That should be interesting to see... I haven't yet had ANY breed hatch the wrong day without having temp issues. Not bantams or large fowl.

She has been breeding her Aracuanas for years so I totally trust her judgement, but yes not heard of this early hatching on any of the (billions of ) threads, articles etc I've read. Maybe it is some weirdo thing with her lineage! Anyway I'll just be prepared and keep you updated on the 2nd (hopefully!). She has also bred that they tend not to have tufts on their faces (she only had 2 tufted in the flock) as apparently the tufted ones have very very poor live hatch rates and now that she has bred the non tufted her rates are really good!

And recently through observation, think I've discovered that broody shaking isn't caused by diminished muscle strength or condition as I originally thought...

I really noticed this when I picked her up yesterday and guessed it was normal but nice to hear it is so!

Seems there are true physiological changes that take place. (as if I truly even know what that word means! )

Being a nurse and midwife I'm good with the word but chickens are leaving me totally stumped