Nutrition and gender, and inducing broodiness

[chicapee]

That's my problem. I have great hatches with the temps averaging 100-101 (in forced air). Of course the reason it averages that high is cause I use an LG

I don't know if I'd want to play with that variable or not.

I agree I have had better hatches since I uped the temp. My one layer pullet seems to lay all the same shape except one egg that was a crazy flat shape on one side I ate that today made Welsh rarebit with poached eggs. Yummy.

 

[lazy gardener]

That's an other one of those "they say" statements that I just have to wrestle with. They say 99.5 for forced air. I say they hatch better at 100, perhaps even 100.5.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

That's an other one of those "they say" statements that I just have to wrestle with. They say 99.5 for forced air. I say they hatch better at 100, perhaps even 100.5.

I honestly, because I do use the LG and you don't mess with that knob more than you have to, am happy if my temp is above 99 and below 102.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I will say this though. Running a bit warm does make my hatch start early. Which is no problem the chicks are happy and healthy and I rarely have after hatch deaths. BUT I noticed last hatch, when I had three eggs that were slower than the others and actually hatched on day 21: the early pippers took longer (a lot longer in most cases) to go from pip to zip than the ones that pipped on day 21. Both with no unabsorbed yolk and no active veining. I am curious if this has anything to due with the time period they hatch in.

 

[lazy gardener]

Sounds sensible to me. If they pip early, but still have yolk and vascular issues, they gotta chill out until those resolve, or they ain't gonna make it anyways. But the ones who get the sequence right, take care of those things and THEN pip, they're good to go. Wouldn't it also stand to reason, that if there's still blood in the membrane, and yolk to be absorbed, the chick's b/p may be down compared to the chick who's drawn all of that into his body?

 

[BlackwoodHollow]

When I divided my eggs out, I set them into 2 piles initially. Round and pointy. Then, I went back to the round pile, and eliminated more of the "not so round". I also eliminated the ones that were proportionately larger than average. If I had eggs from one hen that could be definitely traced to that one hen, I then lined all of her eggs up, and picked the roundest of them all. I would love to see others carry on with this experiment in the spring. If you have your own eggs, it doesn't cost a thing to do. It would be great if someone had the right flock configuration to do a sex linked set. Then you'd have instant gratification for your trial.

I'm definitely going to try this with our Rhodebars. Maybe it will give me a good enough excuse to get the bator out again. lolllll Just put it awayyyyyy

 

[lazy gardener]

That would provide instant stats on your male/female ratio. If you could mark the eggs according to suspected gender, and put a divider in the bator, you'd have your stats immediately at hatch. If you set more than one batch of RhodeBars, you could do one batch straight run, just as they come in out of the nest. Sort according to shape, and put in a divided bator. Then, the second batch, you could just set the round eggs. This would also cut the variable I have in my mixed flock, b/c all of your eggs would be from one breed of hen.

 

[BlackwoodHollow]

That would provide instant stats on your male/female ratio. If you could mark the eggs according to suspected gender, and put a divider in the bator, you'd have your stats immediately at hatch. If you set more than one batch of RhodeBars, you could do one batch straight run, just as they come in out of the nest. Sort according to shape, and put in a divided bator. Then, the second batch, you could just set the round eggs. This would also cut the variable I have in my mixed flock, b/c all of your eggs would be from one breed of hen.

That's what I was thinking, too. We have two bators, so I could use the second for a control group. We need more layers, anyhow.

This molting stuff is for the birds. It may be spring before I can test this theory out.

 

[scottcaddy]

Quote: That's the truth, all of that feed and so few eggs to show for it.

Scott

 

[lazy gardener]

Are you both using supplemental light? At my lattitude, my flock quits in mid Oct. and doesn't start back up until mid Feb. Add to that any broody issues, molting issues, and the egg hatch to POL time, and productivity takes a big hit. I wrestled with the light/no light debate. Didn't give them light the first year, then... decided that I'd rather have the girls earn their keep throughout the year, even if they did burn out sooner. I think I offset some of the stress of continued laying by giving them fermented feed. Their feathers are always beautiful, except for the ones showing rooster wear. A lot of people give them 14 hours/day year round. One fellow turns his lights off for first 2 weeks of Sept. for a forced molt. All his gals get the molt over before real cold weather hits, then they're back into full production. I'm too lazy to do that, so start my light when I notice production going down... which is about NOW! I also give them their light at night, not in the morning.


Scott, I just read your info at the bottom of your post re: chicks, more chicks... Made me grin! I started my first flock at the age of 12, with my dad as my mentor.