Blue - Black - Porcelain Australorp Hatching Eggs, 1 Dozen (NPIP/AI Clean)
Why I Chose Australorps:
I have had several types of breeds on my farm and Australorp's are my favorite! They have the sweet demeanor like an Orpington, excellent layers like the Rhode Island Reds, and strong foragers like Americana's. Last but not least, they are breathtaking to watch as well. All the best traits wrapped up in one wonderful bird.
My Flock:
I get all 3 colors out of my flock, so if you are looking for diversity then look no further. They have plenty of space to roam so they are happy and healthy as can be. I also feed all my animals 100% organic feed and practice homeopathic methods for health and healing. I rarely have illness or medical issues from my birds, I tribute that to my natural methods and care. I personally hatch my eggs to test the hatch rate and fertility. My personal experience is 98% fertile with a 75-90% hatch rate. I get 50-60% Blue, 20-30% Black, and 20-10% porcelain.
Shipping:
I have no control of how the eggs are handled during transit. I take great care in packaging all my orders but once sent it's out of my hands. I recommend candling the eggs once they arrive and you unpackage them.
Hatching Recommendations: (These recommendations are just the way I do things and what works for me)
Candle each one, check that the air sack is still intact as well as the yolk. If the air sack has torn or you see bubbles then be sure to rest the eggs for 24 hours before you incubate. I would still try to incubate, it will reduce the hatch rate tremendously though.
I run my incubator at 99-100 Fahrenheit, I use a secondary thermometer as a backup to monitor the temp and humidity. My incubators seem to lose their calibration after the first season.
If you have an automatic turner then just let them go. If not, then you must turn your eggs at least once a day, preferably the same time every day.
I candle my eggs at day 6 or 7 to look for life, and then again on day 18 which is lock down. Believe it or not I use the flashlight on my cell phone to candle the eggs. It works GREAT! You want to pull any eggs not growing, they will explode.
Day 18 is the last time you open the incubator until hatching. This is when I make sure the humidity is 70% or higher. Otherwise the membrane inside the shell can suction completely to the chick and stop them from hatching. In most cases you are not supposed to open the incubator until everyone is done. There are always those times that need intervention so keep the humidity high in case you need to go in.
They will need heat once you pull them from the incubator. I use a heating pad on medium or low heat. You can get lamps and other heating sources just be careful of fire and overheating them.
They won't need much water and food at first, in fact, hatcheries will ship chicks right after they hatch just because of this. Technically they have enough nutrients in their bodies to last up to 3 days after hatching. After that they need feed to stay healthy.
I feed my chicks an organic chick starter with a protein level of 22%.
Once my chicks are ready for water I give them what I call "Healthy Water". I give it to them till they are fully feathered or until I add them to the rest of the flock. I give it to my whole flock during the real hot summer days, and when it gets cold. It does wonders for sick birds of all ages, It's one of my methods of immune boosting. It consists of:
1) Per 1 Gal Filtered well water
2) 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3) 1 tablespoon organic raw honey
4) 2 full syringes Rooster Booster Nutri-Drench
5) 1 tablespoon Colloidal Silver
6) 1 tablespoon Colloidal Copper
Chicks need sunlight and grass. I get my chicks outside on the ground to bask in the sun as soon as possible. As early as day 2! They only need a little bit of time at first, but they love it and will need more and more as they grow. They will spread their wings and soak up the sun just like a big bird will. They even try to dust bathe while enjoying the time outside.