Hatching Egg advice

[rach1900]

Hi all -

I've recently acquired an incubator, and have been looking at egg on Ebay and other websites, but they seem to be mostly wonderful pure breeds and so rather pricey... I'm looking for some nice healthy duel purpose or meat birds, breeding is not importent!

Any ideas where I could look? Anyone have any success with hatching eggs which have been through the post?

Thanks!
Rachel

[CHyRO]

I bought hatching eggs off ebay I think it was £15 for half dozen including postage for Aylesbury Ducks. I succeeded in successfully hatching 4 out of 6 eggs tho one died at birth. I used an incubator I bought off ebay. The seller included some very good instructions suggesting that you turn the eggs as many times as possible a day as far as I can remember I turned them every 2 to 3 hours, a bit of a bind if you have other things to deal with in your life. I think it is possible to turn only 3 times a day and get away with it.

The ducks ended up costing about £5 each (3 out of 6 surviving) and I think it is possible to buy fully grown ones for that amount if you shop around plus if you buy them at about 12 weeks you can usually tell there sex by then. But having said that you miss out on the hatching process. I think with chickens you can buy day old chicks which takes the hassle out of incubation you get them when young and they are going cheap

[Thomzo]

Hi
I bought a dozen eggs of ebay and only managed to hatch 2. Again they were breeds rather than general purpose.

I then found a local breeder who let me have some eggs for free but none hatched. My neighbour had a go with some free eggs. They hatched but were deformed. So I think it can be a bit hit and miss.

Do you have a local free-ads paper, like Trade-It? Look in there. We found several local breeders that way and have bought eggs and chicks quite successfully. If not try Googling chicken breeders in your area and ringing round.

Good luck
Zoe