How to incubate hatching eggs:
Due to the challenges of incubating hatching eggs - particularly when they are shipped to the buyer-we have decided to elaborate more on what hatching techniques work for us. Although it does not guarantee your results, it can help your outcome!
First of all, is your incubator running properly? Set it up for at least 24 hours and test the temperature with a thermometer at various points in the incubator to make sure it's heating properly throughout the entire incubator. Check humidity to make sure it's around 45%.
When receiving shipped eggs:
-allow the eggs to settle and come to room temperature for about 12hrs
-place into the incubator
-candling at around day 12 is ideal, and again on day 18 to remove any culls. Of course, remove any that appear to be weeping, smelly or cracked as soon as you notice them!
For all of our hatching eggs, we do the following:
- incubate them at 37.4 degrees Celsius (99.5F)
-for day 1-18 humidity should be 45-50%
-day 19 remove eggs from the turner or stop turning them and increase humidity to about 65%
Humidity is particularly important in the successful hatching of marans eggs!
Here is a guide to trouble shooting after the hatch: http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/trouble.html
And a link to Brinsea's incubation hand book: https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brinsea.co.uk%2Fdownloads79&ei=HJybUc3kFsGfiQKJv4GwDA&usg=AFQjCNETLw_zRvss8Y77VVqSznu8eDHmNw&sig2=GvrGIKTByHP3CXonmhvw1Q
Please remember that we are not, in any way, able to guarantee your hatch results! We do provide you with fertile, fresh eggs to work with but there are too many variables to be able to ensure your hatch. Our eggs are hatching at home with 90% success or better. We send you the very best, freshest and high quality eggs to start with but the rest is up to you!
First of all, is your incubator running properly? Set it up for at least 24 hours and test the temperature with a thermometer at various points in the incubator to make sure it's heating properly throughout the entire incubator. Check humidity to make sure it's around 45%.
When receiving shipped eggs:
-allow the eggs to settle and come to room temperature for about 12hrs
-place into the incubator
-candling at around day 12 is ideal, and again on day 18 to remove any culls. Of course, remove any that appear to be weeping, smelly or cracked as soon as you notice them!
For all of our hatching eggs, we do the following:
- incubate them at 37.4 degrees Celsius (99.5F)
-for day 1-18 humidity should be 45-50%
-day 19 remove eggs from the turner or stop turning them and increase humidity to about 65%
Humidity is particularly important in the successful hatching of marans eggs!
Here is a guide to trouble shooting after the hatch: http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/trouble.html
And a link to Brinsea's incubation hand book: https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brinsea.co.uk%2Fdownloads79&ei=HJybUc3kFsGfiQKJv4GwDA&usg=AFQjCNETLw_zRvss8Y77VVqSznu8eDHmNw&sig2=GvrGIKTByHP3CXonmhvw1Q
Please remember that we are not, in any way, able to guarantee your hatch results! We do provide you with fertile, fresh eggs to work with but there are too many variables to be able to ensure your hatch. Our eggs are hatching at home with 90% success or better. We send you the very best, freshest and high quality eggs to start with but the rest is up to you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it possible to come for a tour?
A: At this time we are not allowing farm tours to ensure strict biosecurity with our birds. As you can appreciate, we have made a huge investment over the years into our flocks of birds, and at this time we aren't set up to properly protect their health while having visitors in their pens. You are able to see a couple of breeds from outside the breeding area when you arrive to pick up chick orders.
Q: Do you guarantee that my eggs will hatch?
A: Due to may variables beyond our control, we are not able to offer any guarantee that your eggs will hatch, even if you picked them up in person from the farm. We do our best to provide you with fresh, fertile eggs from healthy, quality hens but the rest is up to you! If you have not had experience in incubating eggs before, or if you want to be guaranteed you will have chicks, we suggest you purchase chicks.
Q: How many hatching eggs should I order if I want 6 hens?
A: On hatched eggs 30-50% hatches are average. If you are looking for 6 hens, expect to order about 18 eggs, as half of your chicks, roughly, will be roosters.
Q: What happens if my eggs are damaged in shipping?
A: We do our best to package them safely so that they will not be damaged. We also include free extra eggs with shipped hatching eggs to help compensate for any that may be damaged in shipping. Should you have multiple broken eggs, please send us a photo of the damage and we will go from there.
Q: How do you ship eggs?
A: Our eggs are shipped by CanadaPost Xpresspost or Expedited, depending on where you live. We do our best to ensure eggs are to you by Friday of the week we ship. We also can ship with Greyhound but since we live on Vancouver Island, it does take longer for packages to be delivered to the mainland and may not be the best option. Canda Post's Priority shipping is not available in our area.
Q: Do you guarantee my marans chicks will lay dark eggs, or that my ameraucana chicks will lay bright blue eggs?
A: With birds that lay eggs of unique colors such as the marans and ameraucana, we have no way to guarantee the chicks you purchase from us will grow into hens that lay dark brown or bright blue eggs. We always use the best quality birds we have available for our breeding flocks but at times a bird can pop up that doesn't lay the dark eggs typical of our flock. Please view the photos on our website of the eggs typical of our marans and ameraucana flocks prior to placing your order.
Q: Is there any health guarantee with chicks?
A: We guarantee that you are getting healthy chicks and chickens when you pick them up at our farm. Please ensure you look over the bird at the time of pick up. We do not extend a health guarantee once you have left the farm due to many reasons beyond our control, with the one exception of shipped chicks - we will replace any chicks that perish in the shipping process with photos of the chicks that arrived DOA.
Q: I would like to order 5 chicks. Can I have them shipped?
A: Unfortunately to ensure chick survival we recommend a minimum of 20 chicks per box. This allows the chicks to huddle for warmth during their transportation by air.
Q: How does shipping work?
A: Shipping is the responsibility of the purchaser. We sell you a wooden, 100 chick shipping crate for $40, or a plastic shipping tote for 30 chicks for $30, which includes the transportation from our farm to the airport an hour away, as well as shavings, feed and apple slices for water. Buyers need to call WestJet Cargo and arrange for shipping. It is wise to call ahead of time for a quote. Within 5 days of shipping, buyers need to call and book the flight for their chicks, which will have to be paid for at that time by credit card, to WestJet. For quotes, wooden shipping crates are
21" x 24" x 7.5" and will weigh roughly 10kg. We do ship for free any extra chicks that hatch with your order as well, however there is no guarantee that we will have free extra's to ship, depending on the individual hatch.
A: At this time we are not allowing farm tours to ensure strict biosecurity with our birds. As you can appreciate, we have made a huge investment over the years into our flocks of birds, and at this time we aren't set up to properly protect their health while having visitors in their pens. You are able to see a couple of breeds from outside the breeding area when you arrive to pick up chick orders.
Q: Do you guarantee that my eggs will hatch?
A: Due to may variables beyond our control, we are not able to offer any guarantee that your eggs will hatch, even if you picked them up in person from the farm. We do our best to provide you with fresh, fertile eggs from healthy, quality hens but the rest is up to you! If you have not had experience in incubating eggs before, or if you want to be guaranteed you will have chicks, we suggest you purchase chicks.
Q: How many hatching eggs should I order if I want 6 hens?
A: On hatched eggs 30-50% hatches are average. If you are looking for 6 hens, expect to order about 18 eggs, as half of your chicks, roughly, will be roosters.
Q: What happens if my eggs are damaged in shipping?
A: We do our best to package them safely so that they will not be damaged. We also include free extra eggs with shipped hatching eggs to help compensate for any that may be damaged in shipping. Should you have multiple broken eggs, please send us a photo of the damage and we will go from there.
Q: How do you ship eggs?
A: Our eggs are shipped by CanadaPost Xpresspost or Expedited, depending on where you live. We do our best to ensure eggs are to you by Friday of the week we ship. We also can ship with Greyhound but since we live on Vancouver Island, it does take longer for packages to be delivered to the mainland and may not be the best option. Canda Post's Priority shipping is not available in our area.
Q: Do you guarantee my marans chicks will lay dark eggs, or that my ameraucana chicks will lay bright blue eggs?
A: With birds that lay eggs of unique colors such as the marans and ameraucana, we have no way to guarantee the chicks you purchase from us will grow into hens that lay dark brown or bright blue eggs. We always use the best quality birds we have available for our breeding flocks but at times a bird can pop up that doesn't lay the dark eggs typical of our flock. Please view the photos on our website of the eggs typical of our marans and ameraucana flocks prior to placing your order.
Q: Is there any health guarantee with chicks?
A: We guarantee that you are getting healthy chicks and chickens when you pick them up at our farm. Please ensure you look over the bird at the time of pick up. We do not extend a health guarantee once you have left the farm due to many reasons beyond our control, with the one exception of shipped chicks - we will replace any chicks that perish in the shipping process with photos of the chicks that arrived DOA.
Q: I would like to order 5 chicks. Can I have them shipped?
A: Unfortunately to ensure chick survival we recommend a minimum of 20 chicks per box. This allows the chicks to huddle for warmth during their transportation by air.
Q: How does shipping work?
A: Shipping is the responsibility of the purchaser. We sell you a wooden, 100 chick shipping crate for $40, or a plastic shipping tote for 30 chicks for $30, which includes the transportation from our farm to the airport an hour away, as well as shavings, feed and apple slices for water. Buyers need to call WestJet Cargo and arrange for shipping. It is wise to call ahead of time for a quote. Within 5 days of shipping, buyers need to call and book the flight for their chicks, which will have to be paid for at that time by credit card, to WestJet. For quotes, wooden shipping crates are
21" x 24" x 7.5" and will weigh roughly 10kg. We do ship for free any extra chicks that hatch with your order as well, however there is no guarantee that we will have free extra's to ship, depending on the individual hatch.
Happy Customers:
From a customer who we shipped chicks to:
"Just want to let you know the chicks are doing well. No losses at all. Eating and drinking very well. I am very much pleased with them. Will buy from you anytime I need chicks. Thank you. -V.P."
"Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that the mixed dozen of fertile eggs we got from you (BLRW & EE) were 100% fertile after candling, so hopefully all going well we'll have a bunch of cute chickies next weekend :)
Thanks again,
E."
Contact us at: [email protected]
"Just want to let you know the chicks are doing well. No losses at all. Eating and drinking very well. I am very much pleased with them. Will buy from you anytime I need chicks. Thank you. -V.P."
"Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that the mixed dozen of fertile eggs we got from you (BLRW & EE) were 100% fertile after candling, so hopefully all going well we'll have a bunch of cute chickies next weekend :)
Thanks again,
E."
Contact us at: [email protected]