Bantam eggs Vs. Large Fowl egg hatching - Hatching opinions?

[jerseygirl1]

OK, I stink at hatching, but really the problem is bantam eggs - does anyone do anything different in hatching large fowl versus bantam?
I have such a hard time hatching bantams eggs ALL THE TIME, but no problems with large fowl.
Thanks

 

[mandelyn]

My issue was the exact opposite, I could do bantams really easy, but not the large fowl. I have my first ever successful large fowl hatch right now, 3 little chicks out of 24 eggs.

Even mixed in the incubator, I would get 100% from Bantam, and the standards would develop and then quit for some reason. Weirdest thing!

I was thinking it was a temperature thing... 99.5 on the floor where the eggs lie (not using a turner) ... could that be too low for big chickens but just right for Bantam? If that were the case though, you would have early Bantams and on time/late standards with a higher temp. So that can't be it.

Are the Bantam eggs developing and quitting? Are they shipped or from your own flock?

 

[AmyJ]

Hi Marilyn!

Since I dont have much experience with incubating I cant really help. I had problems hatching both bantam and LF eggs when I did try it lol. Thats why I stick with broodies! It doesn't help when I want to hatch some and do not have any broody hens though.

 

[JosieChick]

I will be interested to see what people have to say about this because I seem to struggle with the bantie eggs too! I can hatch large fowl like it is nobodys business but my silkie hatches have been sketchy. It seems like I get a lot to the point of lockdown and then only about half hatch.

I am trying another batch with lower humidity to see if that helps. I was running around 35-40% during first 18 days but now I am running between 20-30%. It seems like I have some that hatch fine but some eggs seem like the chicks are small in comparison to the fluid in the egg and I wonder if they are pipping into fluid instead of the air cell. The air cells look like they are at least 1/3 of the egg when they go into lockdown at the higher humidity but the rest of incubation (temp) has been good so this is my only thought. Hope some expert bantam hatchers look at this thread!

 

[jerseygirl1]

Quote:
Me, too!!!!!! They all look great, til lockdown, then I get one or two, then they die after a day or two!! But the big girls and boys, especially roosters, they all hatch like I'm a pro!!!!!!! I would order chicks, but I don't need 25 banties running around!!!!!! Plus, I have my own I would love to try and hatch.

Where's Sonew, she knows this stuff..........

 

[jerseygirl1]

I may have to suck it up and give some to Rosie, my bantam cochin. She's ALWAYS broody, but jeeze, I would like to hatch them on MY schedule.................

 

[JosieChick]

At least you have a broody! I have cochins that are 2 weeks old, long time before they want to sit on anything! Plus there is no way I can fit 42 eggs under a broody....I will keep you posted on my low humidity experiment.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I put my temp at around 99-100 and humidity at 50-70%. I hatch large fowl and bantams together most all the time. All my eggs come from my birds so they are fairly fresh. I sometimes wait 2 weeks before setting eggs but they still hatch.
It could be fertility on your birds as some people have trouble with their bantam Cochins or Silkies not being able to hit the mark but my bantams actually hatch much better and I do not pluck or cut feathers.

I have 18 bantam eggs right now that are on day 20 and haven't even peeped but then the temp for them has been running around 99 so it will take a bit longer. If I set it at 100 or a tad higher they jump out on day 19 and I have had some on day 18, before I even get them into the hatcher. With as many as I have in my many brooders right now I am glad for them to take a day or so longer.

I have broody hens that sit on eggs, especially the Silkies. I let them raise at least one brood a year but the Silkies sometimes raise more. The Cochins I prefer to be producing chicks so I try to discourage broody girls more than once a year.