Trying to hatch shipped eggs - Take 1

[Lenka]

I just hatched some shipped eggs in a new incubator i never used before. It is the first one I've had where eggs are on their side. I got 2 little chicks out of 12 eggs, but I've had the same results with shipped eggs in my other incubators so I'm not sure it makes a difference. I'd like to do an experiment but I really don't need any more chicks lol

haha wow 73 birds does seem like a lot

I think I will experiment when i have eggs that haven't been shipped that I know are from a fertile flock. I have to keep myself busy to not mess with the eggs, which is harder than I thought.

 

[oregonkat]

Give yourself firm candling days. Most people go 7 14 18 something like that! Try not to mess with them, you will be happier at the end when more of them hatch. I know how hard this is especially when it is a new project for you. We all went through this but it is best to let them just do their thing. Read Pyxis' article on incubating that is featured now on here. It is a wonderful article and the photos are excellent!
Make sure your humidity is 35 -40 % and temp. at 99.5 degs for forced air incubator and 102 for still air (at the top of the eggs). And off you go!! Good luck! Keep posting!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

haha wow 73 birds does seem like a lot

I think I will experiment when i have eggs that haven't been shipped that I know are from a fertile flock. I have to keep myself busy to not mess with the eggs, which is harder than I thought.

well I have some of my own eggs in there, too. I pulled one infertile and the other ten developed fine. Incubating on the side is fine (hens do it that way, after all). The question is how it affects shipped eggs, if at all.

 

[oregonkat]

ok, im going to wait untill tomorrow morning (48 hours) and then put them in the incubator. should I keep them upright or would it be ok to lay them down ?

If my shipped eggs are looking slippery or detached in the air cells I like to keep them upright just to aid in keeping the air cell where it belongs. If air cells are fine, incubating on their sides is perfectly fine. People on here are successful with both methods.

 

[Jules929]

Read Pyxis' article on incubating that is featured now on here. It is a wonderful article and the photos are excellent!

Thank you for sharing! Excellent information!

 

[Lenka]

Give yourself firm candling days. Most people go 7 14 18 something like that! Try not to mess with them, you will be happier at the end when more of them hatch. I know how hard this is especially when it is a new project for you. We all went through this but it is best to let them just do their thing. Read Pyxis' article on incubating that is featured now on here. It is a wonderful article and the photos are excellent!
Make sure your humidity is 35 -40 % and temp. at 99.5 degs for forced air incubator and 102 for still air (at the top of the eggs). And off you go!! Good luck! Keep posting!

thanks for this, I will go and read it! I am giving myself the stricter days.. I have alarms set on my phone for when I can candle (and to start the turner). I've been checking the temps often so that seems fine at least.

I am keeping the eggs upright, then will start the turner tonight/ tomorrow AM.

 

[Lenka]

So I candled the eggs, day 7... and of the 24 I got, 12 are viable and are developing. 2 had the red ring of death around them, and the rest were complete duds . Im kinda bummed, but Im hoping that they will survive.

Candled my guinea eggs and have 12 good ones of those... thats a plus i guess

 

[Jules929]

I am not an expert, by any means. I do remember reading in some posts here to give them at least 10 days, in case they are just slow pokes. Except the 2 with blood rings. I just received my shipment today, so I will be setting them soon. Good luck!

 

[oregonkat]

So I candled the eggs, day 7... and of the 24 I got, 12 are viable and are developing. 2 had the red ring of death around them, and the rest were complete duds . Im kinda bummed, but Im hoping that they will survive.

Candled my guinea eggs and have 12 good ones of those... thats a plus i guess

Unfortunately this is one of the realities of incubating shipped eggs. If there was any kind of rough treatment with the post office the eggs get 'scrambled' and there is no recovering from this. I just set 12 Barnevelder eggs that I had shipped from across country (I broke my own rule of only buying eggs from 1 state away). The box was smashed at one end and miraculously none of the eggs were broken but on candling them, ALL have detached and slippery air cells. Some to the point of being able to move the air cell completely to the small end of the egg. I do not hold out much hope for these guys but we will see. It is an expensive gamble.
The post office folks here, who are wonderful, recommend having shippers send the eggs Express (at 4 times the price) because they say the boxes are babied from start to finish. So, I guess if you really, really, want that breed you may have to pay extra. Me, I'm going back to my rule. Never buy eggs from further than one state away and better yet, be willing to drive to pick them up!!

 

[Lenka]

Unfortunately this is one of the realities of incubating shipped eggs. If there was any kind of rough treatment with the post office the eggs get 'scrambled' and there is no recovering from this. I just set 12 Barnevelder eggs that I had shipped from across country (I broke my own rule of only buying eggs from 1 state away). The box was smashed at one end and miraculously none of the eggs were broken but on candling them, ALL have detached and slippery air cells. Some to the point of being able to move the air cell completely to the small end of the egg. I do not hold out much hope for these guys but we will see. It is an expensive gamble.
The post office folks here, who are wonderful, recommend having shippers send the eggs Express (at 4 times the price) because they say the boxes are babied from start to finish. So, I guess if you really, really, want that breed you may have to pay extra. Me, I'm going back to my rule. Never buy eggs from further than one state away and better yet, be willing to drive to pick them up!!

I think thats a great rule! I think I will stick to either getting chicks or eggs from a drive-able distance. (unless the breed is just that spectacular.) This is my first time with shipped eggs- its a learning process and I'll be happy with any that hatch.