This is the first big set of eggs for the 2026 season going into the gqf. I use an older 1202 model and have great success with it. Eggs include large fowl in Blue Wheaten, Buff, Silver, White, Black, and Blue. A few wheaten and white bantams included and White Crested Polish bantams and Large SC white leghorns. Plus a few odds and ends. 124 eggs total, don't count your chicks before they hatch though. (Hoping for about 100)
Good for you Elijah. My last hatch will come off about March 19th, although I will set a few broody hens yet. Do you candle your eggs to check for fertility?
Quote from: Elijah Ensor on March 07, 2026, 08:11:36 AM
This is the first big set of eggs for the 2026 season going into the gqf. I use an older 1202 model and have great success with it...
If the eggs are going in the setter, in those paper egg flats I suggest drilling or punching holes in each egg cavity to allow for better air flow and a more even temperature and humidity around each egg. This would simulate the design of the plastic trays used for this purpose.
I candle about 5-7 days in, and then again at Day 18 depending on if I need space or not. I've had great success with the cardboard flats and never thought to cut the bottoms, but I may need to try it. Thank You!
Elijah I just set my second batch of eggs. The first setting, which was 14 days of collecting, was very disappointing. I only had about 50% fertility, with them coming from one black and two blue bantam breeding pens. Oh I take that back I did have 5 fertile blue silver bantam eggs that were fertile as well.
Russ, I expect things to pick up (for the both of us hopefully) I want to stay around 250-300 chicks this year. I had about 500 last year. Being that I primarily keep LF that got to be to much. If you have spare, I'm looking for bantams in Blue wheaten, Buff and Silver (interested in Blue Silvers). Thank You.