Can anyone corroborate a connection between incubation temperatures and better (or worse) coloration at hatch?
I just had 9 AC chicks hatch, having been unable to get the temperature in my incubator above 98.6 the whole time (I tried. I need to replace the disc thermostat). They hatched about a day late, with (fortunately) fewer pip-and-dies than last time (when I had the humidity too high in the hatcher). BUT every single one of this bunch has quite a bit of white, which is statistically off for the birds from this pen. I've gotten a lot of toetips and wingtips before, but this is....more.
Could temperature during development have an effect on the migration of melanism in the skin? I know it shouldn't, but this is really a very unusual outcome from these birds.
I just had 9 AC chicks hatch, having been unable to get the temperature in my incubator above 98.6 the whole time (I tried. I need to replace the disc thermostat). They hatched about a day late, with (fortunately) fewer pip-and-dies than last time (when I had the humidity too high in the hatcher). BUT every single one of this bunch has quite a bit of white, which is statistically off for the birds from this pen. I've gotten a lot of toetips and wingtips before, but this is....more.
Could temperature during development have an effect on the migration of melanism in the skin? I know it shouldn't, but this is really a very unusual outcome from these birds.