Why I do not sell Hatching Eggs

I receive many many requests to purchase hatching eggs.  I do not sell them.  Yes, I have in  the past and found that many times 1 of 2 things would happen.  1 – I would get an email with pictures of the birds hatched from my hatching eggs, the people would be happy that 4 out of 12 hatched and in the pictures I would see a bird that is better than anything I hatched from my own eggs. 2 – I would get an email with pictures of the birds hatched from my hatching eggs, the people would be completely angry that only 7 out of 12 hatched and in the pictures I would see a bird that is better than anything I hatched from my own eggs.

The points I am making are this – you can expect low hatch rates many times from shipped eggs and I got tired of the unhappy people who expected more.  I guess no one  read my information on What You Can Expect From Shipped Hatching Eggs, or if they did, they didn’t think it applied to them.  The next point is that I do not breed birds to supply others with the perfect Araucana.  I breed birds to hopefully hatch for myself the perfect Araucana.  I make adjustments and improvements in my breeding program every year in the hopes of working towards that perfect bird.  It is disheartening to watch others hatch birds you worked for and should have hatched for your self.

I sincerely appreciate all those who would like to purchase hatching eggs from me and hope you understand.  I recommend purchasing either a breeding pair or breeding trio of the best birds you can afford in the color that makes your heart sing.  In the end it is a less expensive and better way to get a start with good quality araucana.

#1 – Araucana hatching egg embryos are much more fragile than those of other breeds.

#2 – Not all eggs sent through the mail will develope.  This does not mean they are not fertile, but due to the stress of travel they can fail to develope.

#3 – Have your incubator ready and running at incubating temperatures several days before the eggs arrive.  This way you can be aware of any mechanical problems before you set your eggs.

#4 – Upon receiving your eggs, let them sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours before you put them in the incubator.  This allows them to settle from the vibrations of travel.  Especially important if you see bubbles in the eggs from shipping.

#5 – Expect some soiling on the eggs.  Some blood, dirt, or feces is an indication that your eggs were not washed.  Washed eggs do not hatch well.

#6 – Eggs need to be turned 3 to 5 times a day while incubating and turned untill 3 days before their hatch date.  Stop turning eggs 3 days before hatching.

#7 – Temperature in your incubator should be between 97 degrees and 102 degrees.

#8 – Humidity is very important.  Follow the guidlines for humidity in your incubator manual.

#9 – Araucana eggs can range in color from green, lt blue, to medium blue. Depending on where a hen is in her laying cycle her normal blue or green eggs will lighten and can appear pale blue or lt green tan.  You should never receive white or brown eggs.

#10 – My breeding pens are a combination of tufted to cleanfaced and tufted to tufted so you can expect some chicks dead in shell due to the lethality of the tufting gene.