Ayam Cemani hatching question

[Bone Bunny]

For anyone that hatches Ayam Cemani regularly, do they have a higher rate of birth defects?

Ive hatched about 6 clutches this year. 3 from mixed breeds and 3 from the Ayam Cemanis. Im at a 90% hatch rate with the mixed breeds, but the AC's are only at 40-50%, and from those Ive had to cull 5 for various reasons. Do I need different variables for hatching AC's than regular breeds?

This last hatch I had 7 eggs. 5 hatched and I had to cull one. Of the 4 surviving I have 1 huge chuck and a very small runt. The other two are average.

Nevermore the Runt and Poe the Gargantuan

 

[Peaches Lee]

I don't know anything about AC, but these chicks are so cute!

 

[SourRoses]

I don't know about ACs in particular, but in general, specific lines that are too inbred result in poor hatch rates, an increase in deformities, failure to thrive, and immune weakness.

Your biggest chick won the lottery with the most robust genes.
That should be in your selection criteria if you plan on breeding them. You would also want to source an unrelated line to cross with to widen the gene pool.

What often happens with rare or popular breeds and varieties is that people buy their stock once, and just keep breeding within the family, and the people who buy from them do the same, generation after generation.
Very few are willing to go to the expense of maintaining separate lines to keep the population healthy and vigorous.

 

[Bone Bunny]

I don't know about ACs in particular, but in general, specific lines that are too inbred result in poor hatch rates, an increase in deformities, failure to thrive, and immune weakness.

Your biggest chick won the lottery with the most robust genes.
That should be in your selection criteria if you plan on breeding them. You would also want to source an unrelated line to cross with to widen the gene pool.

What often happens with rare or popular breeds and varieties is that people buy their stock once, and just keep breeding within the family, and the people who buy from them do the same, generation after generation.
Very few are willing to go to the expense of maintaining separate lines to keep the population healthy and vigorous.

Thank you. I do plan on breeding them. I already have a rooster, so I'm hoping for at least a couple hens from this group. But, because I was having such a hard time with this specific breed, I was not sure if some of the numbers needed to be tweaked or if this is just a normal occurrence.

 

[SourRoses]

Thank you. I do plan on breeding them. I already have a rooster, so I'm hoping for at least a couple hens from this group. But, because I was having such a hard time with this specific breed, I was not sure if some of the numbers needed to be tweaked or if this is just a normal occurrence.

All the numbers are the same for all chicken eggs
That said... I, and a lot of folks, have better results "dry hatching" (dry = 30% humidity till lockdown boost like normal). If you're not already, that may be worth trying, but it would affect all breeds the same.

The outcomes you are getting are not normal. It seems to be from inbreeding. So, your first challenge as a breeder will be picking the healthiest stock and sourcing an unrelated line to breed in.

 

[Bone Bunny]

All the numbers are the same for all chicken eggs
That said... I, and a lot of folks, have better results "dry hatching" (dry = 30% humidity till lockdown boost like normal). If you're not already, that may be worth trying, but it would affect all breeds the same.

The outcomes you are getting are not normal. It seems to be from inbreeding. So, your first challenge as a breeder will be picking the healthiest stock and sourcing an unrelated line to breed in.

I will def try that come this spring. As long as I have at least one hen from this group. I will def try the dry hatching come spring. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

I have a flock of cemanis-one clutch was hatched from mama and then one in the bator. I had zero issues with the babies, but I have noticed a couple were smaller than the others, but they are all thriving. I need to introduce a new line into my flock, if you are interested, maybe we can exchange hatching eggs? Mine are fRaven and Greenfire.