I brought my first incubator yesterday.. Where can I buy cheap fertile eggs. I'm looking for around 30-40 eggs..I want them to grow up big to lay big eggs for eating... I live in Maryland.. My coop is also set up.. Thanks again.. James

-- JAMES (onemaur@olg.com), October 19, 2001

Answers

Well, they're not cheap, but there's always www.eggbay.com

You might check with your local co-op or feed store. They usually know who has eggs for sale.

Best of luck with your hatch!

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), October 19, 2001.

I bought a dozen (plus extra for breakage) Silver Laced Wyandotte eggs for $7.50 plus $7.00 shipping from http://www.eggbay.com . You will pay more than that from a hatchery, and many will not have certain breeds available this time of year.

If you're looking to eat the eggs, 30-40 eggs, presuming a very low 40% hatch rate for your first time, should be 6 to 8 pullets (and a like number of cockerels). That is potentially four dozen eggs per week. That's probably more than enough even for me. :) Obviously you will want to cull your flock down to the best layers. Remember that older birds will lay larger eggs, but you will have to wait through a molt plus their production will go down.

Mark

-- Mark Sykes (mark@marksykes.net), October 19, 2001.

I'd suggest looking around in your area for people who have laying flocks, and might sell you eggs for a reasonable price. Find out what kind of birds they have and if they'd be willing to save you some unrefrigerated for a day or few. (As suggested above, the local feed stores might be able to help you with this)

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), October 19, 2001.

Check with your state's Dept of Agriculture, too. Here in Florida we have a publication called the Florida Market Bulletin which has a free classified section for buying/selling ag products and livestock, etc. A lot of people advertise poultry and eggs.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), October 19, 2001.

I agree with Mary: listen for a rooster crow, then go ask the neighbor if you can buy a few dozen eggs. I would have no trouble getting fertile eggs this way, but I buy nursery stock from the feed store to get layers. As a matter of fact, I give my young roosters to one of the farmers around the corner who doesn't mind the 4 AM revelry. Yes, even culled nursery stock is only 98% female. But the owner lets me exchange any chicks I feel are sure to be crowers. I guess it pays to get to know your local Ag merchants.

-- Dwight (summit1762@aol.ocm), October 19, 2001.

Ok, it's killing me, I've just got to ask. Why are you buying eggs now instead of in the spring? I assume these eggs are going to hatch into chickies and it seems that starting them in the winter would be a lot more work than starting them in the spring when it's warmer. Obviously I'm just a chicken raiser wanna-be, but I don't get it. Second newbie question - why buy eggs instead of chicks?

-- Stacey (stacey@lakesideinternet.com), October 19, 2001.

Stacey, buying eggs is a whole lot cheaper than buying chicks (provided you have an incubator), you don't have the shipping stress (which kills a lot of the chicks at times), and you control the temperature so you don't lose chicks. Also, most hatcheries make you buy 25-30 chicks and won't ship any less.

Buying chicks or eggs this time a year is no harder work than in the spring -- same work if you get chicks in March, June, or December! You rasie them all the same. It takes approx. 5 months for them to start laying, so in the spring when everything else takes off, so will your chickens. Getting them now means you will have hens laying in March-May.

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), October 19, 2001.

My hens lay eggs and hatch clutches all year around without added light/heat. Winter hatches are no problem; the hen does all the work! The chicks tuck under mom whenever they feel the need. The babies are kept penned until they feather up, and then they go out for daytime free ranging with the rest of the flock.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), October 20, 2001.

My wife and I just went for a ride in the Amish country and stoped at different farms we saw chickens at till we found ones that had roosters.

-- Don Amon (peacelane@certainty.net), October 20, 2001.

I just had a hen hatch out a small batch of chicks 3 weeks ago. Its getting nippy but she's a great mama. To have fertile egs to put under her when she went broody I contacted a friend with many chickens (male and female) and she put me in touch with another feather fancier with standard breeds (I didn't want banties) and crosses. Its cost me a $1.50 for 10 eggs.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), October 22, 2001.