Are some breeds harder to successfully hatch than others?

[loot4louie]

Hi - I am about to start my third ever hatch. A friend and I are setting 42+ eggs for our students. We both have flocks and keep the chicks. I have one great hatch and one miserable hatch under my belt. I was wondering if some breeds are harder to hatch than others? I know shipped eggs are tougher than fresh, but what about breeds? We are setting: Araucana, EE, Olive Eggers (Ameraucana x Maran), Shamo, Barred Rocks, Orpingtons, and Polish. Whats yor opinion!

 

[Illia]

The Araucanas will be your hardest. Because of the rumplessness of the breed, fertility can be tricky. Once it is established, I do hear that shipping eggs can lower fertility too. So the thing to do in that case is hope for good fertility in the first place. (it's good so far on my end

)

Easter Eggers, Olive Eggers, Shamos, Barred Rocks, and Polish are all relatively easy. As long as the parents you got the eggs from are giving good fertility, they ship well and hatch well (although Olive Eggers in F2 form and beyond can be tricky!)

Orpingtons I've no experience in, but if they're show quality or English type, I know it can be hard due to the excess fluff, which in some cases people trim back for better fertility.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Yes.

 

[loot4louie]

I am an addict on this forum- I just can't read enough!! Keep the opinions coming!! I guess I will have to learn to do eggtopsy's this year. I candle, but have never trusted my ability enough to remove eggs. No smell then thay stay I found Orpingtons harder to hatch than other breeds last year, but never broke open eggs that didnt hatch. Last year I did Orps buff and BBS, backyard mix, EE's and Ameraucanas. I will say the Buff Orps had close to 100% hatch, it was the fancy BBS that were tricky. Maybe the fluff interfered with fertility, but I thought they were developing.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Color of the Orp shouldn't matter. However, the fluffier breeds (Orps, Cochins, Sussex, etc) do need to have their vents trimmed at breeding time if you're not showing. If you are, you can AI them without comprising their appearance.

Other breeds just have lower rates. I am not sure why. Of all my current breeds, the Sumatras have the highest fertility. I would say the Orloffs, the lowest.

 

[Ivywoods]

Right now I'm running 100% fertility on my lakenvelders and wyandottes.

I agree with what people have already said here. The worst fertility I've had to deal with was my little bantam cochins. The were show birds. Those fluffy little guys just couldn't get the job done without some feather removal. I had terrible fertility with them unless some of their rear was defeathered a bit.

 

[kathyinmo]

The question is about hatching, not fertility, right? Or am I missing something?

I have not hatched all the breeds you have listed, but I have hatched Orpingtons. Several times, as a matter of fact. They were a nightmare. I have never got a good hatch with Orps. Granted, all of my Orp hatches were shipped eggs, but darned if I could get a descent hatch.

Good luck to you on your hatch!