2015 Peafowl Hatching Support Group - Eggs and Chicks!

[PhoredaBurds]

Does anyone on here track percentage of weight loss of eggs to adjust humidity level in your bators? I've got a few shipped pea eggs at 13 days & they've lost an average of 6.3% of their weight. Is this where it's supposed to be? Half way through incubation and half way to 13% loss. Humidity is at 50%.

 

[Birdrain92]

Does anyone on here track percentage of weight loss of eggs to adjust humidity level in your bators? I've got a few shipped pea eggs at 13 days & they've lost an average of 6.3% of their weight. Is this where it's supposed to be? Half way through incubation and half way to 13% loss. Humidity is at 50%.

Casportpony would be the one to have all of those records.

 

[DylansMom]

I did it one year and to me it just added one more thing to stress over.

 

[allbirds4me]

15% is ideal but when you say " average" and are 1/2 way through, they could have lost way too much the first week then not enough the second, you should weigh on a weekly basis .

 

[PhoredaBurds]

When I say average, I mean total weight loss at day 13 ranges between 5.4% and 7.9% for 7 eggs. I've read that the goal total weight loss over the 26-28 day incubation is 13%. I used this method to hone in on what humidity works best in my bator for chicken eggs. But pea eggs are new to me. Are you saying 15% is a better goal for total weight loss over the full incubation? Humidity has remained between 45% and 51% for these first 2 weeks, so average weight loss should not be that different first week vs second week. I will weigh again at day 21 tho. Thank you for the suggestions!

 

[PhoredaBurds]

I did it one year and to me it just added one more thing to stress over.

I'm trying to to stress over it, but trying to do everything I can to give them the best chance of hatching. Who knows if it will make a difference in the end.

 

[Birdrain92]

Humidity for peafowl is different than chickens. The reason why I say that is because I've been able to hatch chicken chicks over a wide range of humidity while peachicks is a small range. I never weigh my eggs, I turn my eggs by hand so when it gets close to hatching I can feel how light they are yet dense. If I don't feel that around hatch time or if I get a weird feeling, sort of a lack of interest in the eggs, I candle to see what's going on. If there's nothing there I pitch the eggs.

 

[Pyxis]

Does anyone on here track percentage of weight loss of eggs to adjust humidity level in your bators? I've got a few shipped pea eggs at 13 days & they've lost an average of 6.3% of their weight. Is this where it's supposed to be? Half way through incubation and half way to 13% loss. Humidity is at 50%.

I haven't done a ton of peafowl hatching, but for both them and geese I weigh and track humidity and I aim for a 13-15% weight loss by lockdown. Sounds like you're on track if you're halfway through and halfway to the right weight. In my last batch I knew one had quit at about three weeks because it stopped losing weight.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Humidity for peafowl is different than chickens. The reason why I say that is because I've been able to hatch chicken chicks over a wide range of humidity while peachicks is a small range. I never weigh my eggs, I turn my eggs by hand so when it gets close to hatching I can feel how light they are yet dense. If I don't feel that around hatch time or if I get a weird feeling, sort of a lack of interest in the eggs, I candle to see what's going on. If there's nothing there I pitch the eggs.

So you're saying I just have to develop a little "pea egg intuition" to get these these things to hatch? Ok, at least I know what I'm up against, lol. Will work on that.

Thanks @Pyxis. Hopefully these will keep moving along same as they have been. How are your chicks doing?

 

[Pyxis]

So you're saying I just have to develop a little "pea egg intuition" to get these these things to hatch? Ok, at least I know what I'm up against, lol. Will work on that.

Thanks @Pyxis. Hopefully these will keep moving along same as they have been. How are your chicks doing?

Good! I'm beginning to suspect I maybe have two males though - I was hoping for any combo but that. They're only three weeks old though. I'll have to post updated pictures to get everyone's opinion since I'm not exactly a seasoned peachick sexer, lol.