Airyaman
Songster
I've already done multiple batches of eggs and up until yesterday (and today) I've had about a 23% hatch rate on mailed eggs. All of those prior batches came from different states, including TX, KY, GA, and MS. Of the 65 eggs I've incubated, only 15 have resulted in successful hatches (two of other 50 actually "hatched", they simply had too many issues, and both were assisted hatches, resulting eventually in euthanasia).
I suppose, in retrospect, had I had a much better rate, I'd be overwhelmed with chicks. What can I say, I went a little crazy!
Now that I have idle incubators, I've going to try 8 more that went on a limited US tour and ended up getting to me 7 days later than expected! They started in KY, stayed several days in Louisville KY, finally made it to Birmingham AL (45 minutes away) but then went out to Aurora CO, Amarillo TX, back to Birmingham AL, and finally they are at my home. They were shipped out 3/29.
All eight eggs were intact and surprisingly, the air cells on 7 of them look good and appear to be not too large and attached. The 8th floats around a little.
I will start them out in cartons without turning for the first few days. I've been dry hatching with a humidity level of 25-35% (depending on where I kept the room), but I may try to bump up the humidity for the first many days.
Of course, who knows how fertile they were, but if we assume they are fertile, what would you expect? I'm thinking zero myself, just because of what they've been through.
I will update this thread occasionally to let you know how it goes.
(These are Bielefelders btw).
I suppose, in retrospect, had I had a much better rate, I'd be overwhelmed with chicks. What can I say, I went a little crazy!
Now that I have idle incubators, I've going to try 8 more that went on a limited US tour and ended up getting to me 7 days later than expected! They started in KY, stayed several days in Louisville KY, finally made it to Birmingham AL (45 minutes away) but then went out to Aurora CO, Amarillo TX, back to Birmingham AL, and finally they are at my home. They were shipped out 3/29.
All eight eggs were intact and surprisingly, the air cells on 7 of them look good and appear to be not too large and attached. The 8th floats around a little.
I will start them out in cartons without turning for the first few days. I've been dry hatching with a humidity level of 25-35% (depending on where I kept the room), but I may try to bump up the humidity for the first many days.
Of course, who knows how fertile they were, but if we assume they are fertile, what would you expect? I'm thinking zero myself, just because of what they've been through.
I will update this thread occasionally to let you know how it goes.
(These are Bielefelders btw).
Last edited:
