The Chook Shed - Breeding chooks: Collecting eggs

Collecting eggs for incubation

Planning a successful hatch starts with the parent birds, long before any eggs are even collected.

Healthy adults breed healthy chicks, so it is important to get the breeding stock as healthy and fit as possible. Select the birds to breed with and separate them into pens away from other fowls. A special feeding regime should begin about 6 weeks before the first egg is collected that provides a high protein ration, plenty of green feeds and a vitamin supplement if possible. This provides the birds with the necessary nutrition to produce nutritionally-rich eggs which gives the growing embryo the best possible start to life. It is unwise to be tempted into setting eggs from birds that have not been prepared for breeding.

Breeders of Silkies or other profusely feathered breeds should trim the feathers from around the vents of the breeding birds... both male and female, to give every chance of successful mating.

Once the eggs are collected, select only the best for incubation. Check each egg for shape and shell texture. Discard any which are too round or too narrow and any which have thin shells or fine hairline cracks. The ones that pass the test must be stored correctly. Eggs must not be kept any longer than seven days before beginning the incubation process. Egg shells are porous, which means dehydration begins to occur quite quickly, severely lessening the chances of a successful hatch. After an egg is laid, it cools rapidly, causing the embryo to go into a state of suspended animation. It is important that the eggs are kept at a sufficiently cool temperature to prevent incubation starting too soon. The eggs must be collected as soon as possible after laying, to prevent soiling or other damage. Furthermore, eggs left in the nest begin the incubation process as they are warmed by the hens sitting on them while laying more eggs on subsequent days. The optimum temperature for egg storage is between 12 and 15 degrees Celsius. Any cooler and the embryo is unable to begin development when the temperature is raised and conversely, eggs stored too warmly begin embryo development, but as the temperature is not sufficiently high to continue the process, the embryo dies. Eggs which are in storage must be turned each day to prevent membrane and embryo damage caused by sticking to the shell.