- Jun 1, 2012
- 62
- 2
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...and they said I could keep it.
While visiting this ranch, which is home to some heirloom bantams, I happened to look inside the knothole of a tree... and there was an egg. Several bantam hens and a few roos were in a large pen, but one rooster and two hens were running around and it had to have been one of these hens who decided to use that knothole.
The day was cool, around 60 degrees, and the egg was cold and sitting in about a quarter inch of water from recent rains. I am guessing it couldn't have been there for too long or predators would have found it. So, with the blessings of the ranch hands, we took the egg home. It's a bit dirty but I didn't attempt to clean it. Within 24 hours I had it in an incubator rented from our local 4H office.
The only time I ever tried incubating an egg (after my daughter found a Mallard egg on the lawn outside of her school) I did successfully hatch a duckling - the one in my avatar. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...e-question-about-incubating-a-duck-egg-newbie About fell over at the first candling when those little veins were visible. Miracle of miracles! So I'm a teeny bit encouraged that there may be a chance with this egg. Everything I know about hatching eggs I learned from this forum.
Have any of you guys had similar experiences and stories to share? Mainly, finding a wet, cold egg and finding out it was viable? I would love to hear your stories!
I didn't candle it but will in a week to see if anything's going on. Thank you in advance for any info you care to share.
While visiting this ranch, which is home to some heirloom bantams, I happened to look inside the knothole of a tree... and there was an egg. Several bantam hens and a few roos were in a large pen, but one rooster and two hens were running around and it had to have been one of these hens who decided to use that knothole.
The day was cool, around 60 degrees, and the egg was cold and sitting in about a quarter inch of water from recent rains. I am guessing it couldn't have been there for too long or predators would have found it. So, with the blessings of the ranch hands, we took the egg home. It's a bit dirty but I didn't attempt to clean it. Within 24 hours I had it in an incubator rented from our local 4H office.
The only time I ever tried incubating an egg (after my daughter found a Mallard egg on the lawn outside of her school) I did successfully hatch a duckling - the one in my avatar. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...e-question-about-incubating-a-duck-egg-newbie About fell over at the first candling when those little veins were visible. Miracle of miracles! So I'm a teeny bit encouraged that there may be a chance with this egg. Everything I know about hatching eggs I learned from this forum.
Have any of you guys had similar experiences and stories to share? Mainly, finding a wet, cold egg and finding out it was viable? I would love to hear your stories!
I didn't candle it but will in a week to see if anything's going on. Thank you in advance for any info you care to share.