The EE braggers thread!!!

[Chicken Frenzie]

Alright, I'll go take pictures now. He is SOOOO HANDSOME!!!

 

[Summer98]

I have a broody hen right now and I'm thinking about letting her hatch out some eggs. I know this has been asked before, but I can't remember the answer.
Brown egger rooster (light brahma) X Blue egger hen (EE) = ? egger
Brown egger rooster (light brahma) X Green egger hen (EE) = ? egger

Also, do the eggs have to be freshly laid to hatch out or can I take some out of the refrigerator and let them heat up under the broody hen? I have no idea how long they can stay fertile after being in the refrigerator.

 

[cheeka]

i'm no expert... but i don't think you can use an egg for hatching once it's been refridgerated. they will stay viable for quite some time out of the fridge... i'm sure others will post helpful advice...

 

[flower]

there has been all types of positive hatching stories post here. Some have hatched eggs from Traders Joe's eggs which I believe are free range but also refrigerated. Then stories about hatching from eggs that a broody had been sitting on and had left the nest due to predator attack. Eggs that were stone cold hatched. I have read stories of folks hatching refrigerated eggs despite the odds of that not being a success. My incubation skills started out Ok but have gotten worse over the years so i try for the best options on hatching eggs

It is generally though that the fresher the egg the better results and that eggs stay fertile three weeks from separation of male from hens. But if you really want to try hatching, what do you have to loose ? Best of luck to you.

 

[Flowerbh]

I have a broody hen right now and I'm thinking about letting her hatch out some eggs. I know this has been asked before, but I can't remember the answer.
Brown egger rooster (light brahma) X Blue egger hen (EE) = ? egger
Brown egger rooster (light brahma) X Green egger hen (EE) = ? egger

Also, do the eggs have to be freshly laid to hatch out or can I take some out of the refrigerator and let them heat up under the broody hen? I have no idea how long they can stay fertile after being in the refrigerator.

Do not refrigerate. IMO I would not try hatching anything over 10 days old.....Up to 7 days gives you a better hatch. Here is a chart that may help you with the coloring. The lighter brown egg you start with, X blue will give you a lighter green egg. If you use the LB X green EE you will more than likely get a deeper green (olive egg). Keep the ones with the pea combs. There is an incubation thread on BYC that could probably help you will all your questions. Good luck!!!

 

[DMRippy]

I have hatched with GREAT success egg over 30 days old. I have even had success with reg eggs. Do let them come to room temp BEFORE you put them under the broody, the cold temps of the eggs might break her from being broody. It is a hormonal thing and cold is one way to break them. You will have the best result from fresh eggs, but it is not a problem to toss some from the fridge in there too if you want.

You will get EE from those crosses.

 

[Flowerbh]

I have hatched with GREAT success egg over 30 days old.  I have even had success with reg eggs.  Do let them come to room temp BEFORE you put them under the broody, the cold temps of the eggs might break her from being broody.  It is a hormonal thing and cold is one way to break them.  You will have the best result from fresh eggs, but it is not a problem to toss some from the fridge in there too if you want.

You will get EE from those crosses.

 

Sorry....just going by what I have read in the last 4 books on incubating eggs. It is good to know you can incubate refrigerated eggs.

 

[cheeka]

that's amazing, I would have thought refridgeration would eventually kill the genetic material, although it does sort of make sense that it would hold in suspension chilled...

 

[Gifa]

Yeah, I read the thread on here comparing hatch rates between fertile eggs from Whole Foods and Trader Joes... It took me days to get over the "Wait, what? REALLY??? You can do that? REALLY??? WHAT???" reaction I had to the thought of buying a dozen viable fertile eggs from a refrigerated case.

 

[DMRippy]

I have read where they suggest putting shipped eggs in the fridge to firm them back up before incubating. I have not tried that....... yet.