Age of Hens - Best Age Before Hatching Their Eggs

[OurFurryFriends]

I've looked everywhere and I'm waiting to hear back from the breeder, wondering how long I need to wait after and start laying eggs before I use her eggs to incubate and raise a baby chicks. Another words is it better to wait a few months after they started laying or do they need to be over a year etc. Thank you.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I've looked everywhere and I'm waiting to hear back from the breeder, wondering how long I need to wait after and start laying eggs before I use her eggs to incubate and raise a baby chicks. Another words is it better to wait a few months after they started laying or do they need to be over a year etc. Thank you.

I had my best hatch (100% with 20 eggs) from my pullets that had been laying between 4-6 weeks when I collected. There are varying opinions of course, but the key is to give them time to be laying regularly, good quality and decent sized eggs. Some people have even incubator as soon as the pullet started laying. I prefer to give them time to make sure egg production is working well and the eggs aren't tiny.

 

[junebuggena]

You can set eggs as soon as they are laying consistently.

 

[snywalker]

Someone on here actually said that they hatch the first eggs. Because those are the pullets that started laying at the youngest age.

I have never tried it, but it sounded logical.

 

[junebuggena]

The problem with first eggs is that they are the smallest that a hen will lay. They can also be inconsistent in shell quality. If you want fast developing birds, select eggs from the hens that started laying first, but wait till their eggs are of appropriate size. Remember that shells can't expand to accommodate a growing chick.

 

[snywalker]

The problem with first eggs is that they are the smallest that a hen will lay. They can also be inconsistent in shell quality. If you want fast developing birds, select eggs from the hens that started laying first, but wait till their eggs are of appropriate size. Remember that shells can't expand to accommodate a growing chick.

My method on picking eggs is a lot less precise. It's just whatever normal shaped eggs there are that day.

 

[KCountess]

I just lost my Roobin today so I am going to try and hatch a dozen of the eggs found at the back of the coop. I'm so heartbroken. I hope I can hatch one of his peeps...

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I just lost my Roobin today so I am going to try and hatch a dozen of the eggs found at the back of the coop. I'm so heartbroken. I hope I can hatch one of his peeps...

Sorry you lost your Roobin. Good luck with the eggs!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

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