This summer will be the first summer I've had "free" in years! I want to hatch eggs!! I haven't decided if I'm going to buy an incubator or make one, but I'm leaning towards buying one.
I don't want to hatch my own eggs... but not sure where the best places to buy eggs are. I know there's eggbid, and I know ebay has a lot of sellers, but I was hoping everyone could give personal experience with either other places, or sellers on ebay or eggbid who you've used and had good luck with.
Thank you in advance. I've got time, this project isn't going to start until Mid May. :)
The other question I have... if I buy an incubator, the one I'm looking at holds 50 eggs. So, if I buy a couple dozen eggs here, and a few there, and a few there, and they all arrive at different times, obviously I want them to go in the incubator at the same time. How long can they sit here before going into the incubator without losing their viability?
Buying Hatching Eggs
Theres a lot of really good sellers of eggs. I know, I buy lots! Check out Backyard Chickens; there have a egg selling forum with lots of egg-cellent sellers.
Thank you Fla Chick!
According to the literature--eggs should not be set until 24 hours after they are laid. Not usually a problem. The general rule of thumb is that if kept in appropriate conditions (around 50 degrees F and fairly high humidity and tilted gently daily) they do not start to lose viability for the first 7 days. After that they start to lose it at an increasing rate. You have to figure the time since they were laid--usually at least a day or two before they were shipped, then the time in transit, then the time you hold them. You want them to stabilize for 8 to 12 hours after shipping before you put them in the incubator anyway.
I am pretty addicted to hatching--I have gotten them from eggbid (usually more serious breeders) and eBay (some very good sellers there and some awful too). Sometimes you get a shipment and only one or two are viable--sometimes up to 90%--the hatch rate is usually closer to 50-60% of the viable ones if everything goes well.
Have fun!
Thanks Catscan! I'm really excited to try!
Good luck Melissa. I hatched three batches over the winter. They are all outside now in their own little house. I do get excited to watch peoples hatches so please make sure you post when they start to pip and zip. Pictures are always fun too. hehehe :D
I'm excited to start... I've been looking at egg auctions, and it's taking a lot of restraint! I know I'll be a better mommy once school lets out for the year... but gosh it's so hard not to start now. :)
I've got an order of chicks coming thee week of June 8, so I'd actually like to time my first hatch to coincide with the arrival of the day-olds. :)
Melissa, I had great luck on craigslist. I just posted looking for hatching eggs and got mine local and had great hatch rates. You also usually get to see the farm and chickens they come from also.
George
That would be wonderful! What breed do you have coming?
I know the excitement. My DH has taken away my incubator. *pouty face* He is my balancer. LOL
They hatched on the 23-25th. I got silkies, turkens, serama,easter eggers and some good ole mixed banties.
George
Oh, they are wonderful! The hatch rate is always better if you can get them locally.
Hey George!
I'll check Craigslist, I check it everyday anyway looking for a new sectional. ;)
I ordered a few White Crested Black Polish and Golden Polish, then a dozen each of Blue Adalusians, Speckeled Sussex, Barred Rocks and Red Stars or Sex Links. They were out of Buff Orpingtons on my ship date, and I wanted some Cuckoo Marans, but figured if i was going to pay nearly 4.00 each for straight run, I'd be better off to hatch my own. :)
We're rebuilding the flock... we lost almost all of ours in a dog massacre last summer. :( I bought some replacement chicks locally, but most of them were roosters. :(
Look at that swarm!!! WOW! They look like fun! :D
Yes, I have heard that also (better hatchrate local) Good luck.
Well, the only thing on Craigslist were other people wanting hatching eggs. So, I'm definitely going to be buying mine through the mail. Maybe this time next year I'll be able to offer local hatching eggs? LOL
I would be happy to send you eggs, but I think I need practice packing them. Didn't have luck with the first and only batch I mailed. I have barred rocks, black sex-links, crosses of those two, and guest chickens who may be araucana. We get about 20 eggs a day here so it would be possible to get them in the mail within 24 hrs anyway. No telling how quickly they'd get to you, though...
Hey, grownut--ZZ has become an expert egg shipper. Dmail her and maybe she will give you tips.
I certainly need some....:(
Thanks for the offer Grownut, I really appreciate it, but I think I'm going to have enough sex link and Barred Rocks, I've got chicks coming the 8th. I want to hatch some that I don't have, or that are sold as straight run. I figure I've got as good of a chance at hatching eggs as I do buying straight run of getting all roosters, so I may as well pay the lower price. :)
I could probably hatch some of my own eggs, but all of mine are mixed, I would have no idea what I'd end up with.... a barred rock hen with a buff orpington rooster? LOL speckled buff orpingtons? :)
Buff sex-links if you're lucky....;-)
My barnyard mixes are some of my favorite birds. They have great color variations, some have head feathers (thanks to the Spitzhaben, brabanter, or Polish) and some have feathered legs. They're also pretty hardy it seems. I just love the fun of seeing how they all mix up!
Hi Melissa: I was just curious as to why you ordered the crested chickens? Have you had them before? I'd be very interested as to why them. Also the blue Andalusians. I have raised both and was curious about your selection. Looking forward to your hatches in the future. Haystack.
I like the polish, the ones I had had really neat personalities, they were funny. Same with the Blue Andalusians.... just super neat personalities they were big "talkers" almost purring, and always greeted us when we went in the coop. No other reason. :)
Same reason I ordered the Sex link... I had a few sex links that would jump on my shoulder any opportunity they had... I lost all of them in a predator kill a couple of summers ago, and I miss having them.
The reason I asked was because I have had both, and still do have andalusians. I got rid of the Polish Crested, however I do agree with you, they are very funny and wander around like blind-eyed bats. There is so much that they cannot see because of the crest and that makes them comical. I had one that would never roost and I protected her for months by going out at night and taking her in. I forgot her one stinking night and a lousy possum got her. I made him pay with his life and felt good about it. I hope all goes well for you and you have a blast. Hay
I have a Silkie, who I thought was just plain stupid. She wandered around aimlessly and seemed to have trouble even finding her food and water. I just realized the other day that her crest is so large and puffy she can't see. Has anyone ever tied up a Silkie crest? I am thinking one of those fancy dog clips for foofoo dogs.
Sounds like a better option than education...
Cheaper at least--as long as I don't go for the Rodeo Drive chicken bling.
You'd have to keep it small...how many karats can a chicken keep aloft anyway?!
I think one of the teeny tiny rubber bands like they use for the tiny braids might be better.
I'm not sure, but I am drawing the line at earrings.
I'll start with the coated rubberbands---so I don't break the feathers.
What about a "trim" of the bangs?
Good idea Claire, I wonder if the rubber band (I'm not sure what the coated ones are called?) would attract the other birds? you know how they all notice something new... and want to peck it.
The poor girlie would be able to see but get attacked!
LOL This is so funny, I didn't want to post.. Just couldn't wait to see what you guyz come up with next!
How bout a sponge curler?
I don't think Polly is the sponge curler type....:0)
Hey thats pretty funny Catscan, but I know what you mean. It took me a while also to realize their crest was troublesome to them. It gives predators an easy catch. I have seen pic's of some kind of bands and hairdo's by different owners.LOL Hay
Rubberband...hehehe...At least she would see them coming! :o
You are all a whoot! I have one silkie who has a vaulted skull and a huge top poof. There is noway she can see well. I have trouble finding her eyes.I have not tried putting anything in there. Hmmm...now I am. :D
Somebody's gotta post a pic....
I agree with mox. Pic's are in order. I know we'll have a hair-do contest, the last to post is a rotten egg. LOL Haystack
gaaah!! Hay!!! You nailed us with that punny...
Oh HAY! What an awesome idea! A chicken hair-do contest! Oh, I gotta sort through some pics!