Question #1

[student]

How many BW eggs should I put in an incubator to be sure to get 125 chicks? How many RN pheasant eggs should I put in an incubator to be sure to get 65 chicks?

[birdlover17]

hi,

i would say 250 BW eggs and 130 pheasant eggs would be good.  At least half the amount of the eggs should be chicks, but of course no one can predict the future.

[mobe_45]

sounds about right to me. More than that will most likely hatch but by the time you lose some to whatever reasons, you should have the numbers you want.

[slider]

   

[tweezy50]

 j1One thing I have found, you can never use the words "be sure of" when dealing with Mother Nature.  Just about the time you think you know how things will turn out...she throws you a curve!  You can come close, sometimes, VERY close to doing things just right, and the next time, you do things the exact same things and will get different results.  Mother Nature can have a very warped sense of humor sometimes!   but I think those numbers sound good, also.

[wildergamebirds]

  As I mentioned in reply to your queastion #2, I have generally gotten hatch rates around 85% or more with shipped eggs, and 90%-95% with my own eggs.  I usually add some shipped eggs, when I set my own Quail eggs, so the percentage of non-shipped eggs is approximate.

  Now the bad news:

  My last two hatches of Georgia Giant eggs were disasters.  One was a shipment of something near 2000.  The last was a combination of roughly 650 of my own, and 600 that I picked up, myself.   The first of these two was something like 57%, as I remember, and shipped last fall.  The last was this Spring and barely 50%, even including 2-3 dozen very late hatchers.

  Listing your general area, at least, in your profile, or each initial post will likely get you more useful responses.  Someone might pop up, and and say "hey, I have 200 extra eggs, 50 miles from you, cheap"  (OK, don't hold your breath on the cheap part).

  You will need a brooder, and maybe grow out pens for the chicks left over after you fill the surrogator.  Then, I would suggest planning on no more than 50% hatch.  (God, did I just agree with birdlover?)  I say this for two reasons.  First, you're a beginner, right?  And second, and most important, the final numbers are more urgent than they would be, if you were just wanting to try your hand at hatching a few.

  The best advice I can give you, though, is to just order 125-150 chicks.  Save the incubation headaches for another time.  I know Jason suggests putting the chicks in, as soon as they arrive, or as soon as they are dry, but I would suggest putting them in at 7-10 days.  They will not have tamed any, by then, and it's better to have the weak ones die in a brooder, than the surrogator.

  All the above applies to Pheasant, or Chukars, too.

[student]

Sounds like good advice. I will have to drive at least 2 1/2 hours to the nearest place to pick up chicks. How well does receiving chicks through the post office work?

[birdlover17]

     (God, did I just agree with birdlover?)  

yep wilder you did!

[DoubleL911]

Strongly agree with wildgamebirder
Feed the chicks ground boiled egg yolks a week first
Makes for super start and culls week birds at home
Larry Lain
www.doublelquailfarms.com