Quote:
Originally Posted by
thedragonlady 
You need an outcross to a SOP Cock. There is a lethal gene at work, if that hen is sitting faithfully , and those eggs were fertile. She sets very faithfully. And I candled them around day 14.
One actually was an SOP cock. This one though is one of those hatchery surprises and I still don't know what the heck he's supposed to be. He's nice and he's pretty though so until I get a decent one or until he gets too big for his breeches, he'll stay. I figured there must be a lethal gene somewhere, otherwise why would the other hen's eggs hatch fine and this big buff's eggs always fail?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
al6517
G
Feed for hatching success, it doesn't need to be done all the time or with all birds, but if you encounter problems more than once or twice I always go to this as first line of defense. Sure poor genetic hatchery stock can and do have more problems than other more well bred stock but that doesn't mean you can't correct it if you try, and a little custom mixing of a special super duper rooster booster just may help enough to get some chicks that will past a few days and into adulthood. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Good point. Next time I decide to do this I'll pull out the big guns for nutrition.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mountain Momma
G, I dont know a dern thing about hatching at home but I am interested in your situation because my hens are hatchery hens, at least I think they are. I wondered if the 2 roos were different and or from different mothers? Also, if you had success with this hens eggs in the past were they the same roos? I am wondering if there is something in the environment affecting them. If the gene pool is different and the problem is the same then I feel like it would be less likely a gene issue. Can you get the brand name of the bird seed your neighbor favors them with and possibly the upc code on it? Just curious. Dont bother if you dont feel like it. I would be looking for an 8 in the beginning or end of the upc.
Lately it's really been scratch he's throwing. Before this it was the generic Wild Bird mix you get at the store. That bag is long gone, though. The two roos were from very different backgrounds: The first was an SOP boy that I made the grievous mistake of selling in order to keep one that turned out not to work out here. He was flavorful at least. This one is a hatchery whatever. No idea what he is. He was one of a few that I got to 'break a broody' with from the feed store. I have one that can NOT be broken so I just throw some chicks under her and then sell them when they're POL. Only this one was an oops.
Every egg from these hens, and I think it's really been just one of them, has failed. And I mean failed after either almost coming to hatch or hatching then dying. I wouldn't be scared of trying to hatch a hatchery hen's eggs though after hearing this. I have other hatchery birds that I've gotten healthy chicks from. It's just the one(s) I really want chicks from that I can't seem to get!
Edited by galanie - 10/3/12 at 5:32am
that's great! I have observed, in my short journey with chickens, that they ARE extremely self-serving!
Is it secret or can you give it out? 
