[nuzuki]

Hi all, I just wondered if anyone has managed to breed a chicken that has a quicker hatch time than the normal 21 days. It seems the scientists are busy re engineering everything else in life so I thought why not this? If not I am interested in the reasons as to why it cant be changed. I guess the only 2 factors that can be changed are temp and humidity outside of the genetics so the genetics would have to be manipulated. Could you find a egg laying bird that has a quicker incubation period and cross it with a chicken?

This is all hyperthetical, im not looking to get into mad scientist stuff but it makes interesting conversation and keeps the brain ticking along 

Please share your wisdom with me 

[mumofstig]

If it could be done for humans - women would have got it sorted by now - believe me! 

[nuzuki]

Thats a good point  Though listening to the news today it seems that too can now be done artificially

[GrannieAnnie]

I'm sure elephants would be interested in that idea too!   

[nuzuki]

Hehe

So can I pick everyones brain here? How long does a pheasant egg take to hatch? A turkey egg? a duck egg? a pigeon egg? a quail egg? Im interested in how it all differs by a few days and why?

And of course you've got me wondering now, how long is an elephant preggers for? 

[GrannieAnnie]

I think quails are 18 days and I think turkeys and possibly ducks are 28, but I've never incubated any of them myself, only chickens.

[nuzuki]

So now thats got me wondering can you cross a chicken or possibly a bantum with a quail to produce a chicken/quail hybrid that would hatch quicker, then cross that with something that has an even shorter incubation period. It seems possible but then ive probably missed something obvious.

Maybe you'd have to cross the quail with something first and the chicken with another thing to bridge a genetic gap of some sort. Or have I watched to much scifi movies? My girlfriend does biological medical studies and I would of thought this would be right up her street talking about this type of thing but she is disinterested which means I get to talk to you lot about it instead 

[Geo]

Why not just concentrate on breeding hens that lay 6 large eggs a day and dont eat treats

[snowdrops]

Hehe

So can I pick everyones brain here? How long does a pheasant egg take to hatch? A turkey egg? a duck egg? a pigeon egg? a quail egg? Im interested in how it all differs by a few days and why?

And of course you've got me wondering now, how long is an elephant preggers for? 

Wiki says Asian elephant 616 days.

[joyfull]

true bantams (those that do not have a large fowl equivalent) are usually 19 days incubation.

[GrannieAnnie]

But if it was possible, you'd think the big breeding companies like Hendrix genetics would have thought of that by now.

[Sparkyrog]

I think I am right in saying your average Duck is 28 days and Muscovy's are 35

[Sassy]

I think I am right in saying your average Duck is 28 days and Muscovy's are 35

You are. Just be glad elephants don't lay eggs!!

[splash101]

We've just had a Canary hatch this morning. Incubation for them is 12-14 days.

[GrannieAnnie]

Mmmmm not sure about trying to get a cockerel to mate with a canary though!