Calculating hatch rate

[TattooQ27]

Do I calculate my hatch rate based on the total number of ducklings that hatch in relation to how many were set in the incubator or how many were actually fertilized?

Right now I have 24 duck eggs in my incubator. 22 are developing nicely and 2 are clear. I know a lot can change so I probably won't get 22 ducklings out of this but I am just curious how I figure out my hatch rate.

I also have my 12 shipped chicken eggs in there but they all came with detatched air cells so I don't have high hopes for them. I did let them rest for 3 days before setting them in hopes that they would do well once set but I have no idea what if anything will come of it.

 

[speckledhen]

You don't count the ones that never begin to develop, whether blown air cells, or whatever. By the time I removed all the blown air cells or infertiles, I had 22 out of 43 left. So that was my starting number. I had 3 blood rings form where the embryo died, so was down to 19. All 19 hatched, so 19 divided by 22 is about an 86% hatch rate. Fertility rate counts all of them. Only 22 out of 43 counted as fertile with my batch, but it was the P.O. that killed those before they even started. If you have blood rings, those count against your hatch rate.

 

[TattooQ27]

Quote:
Excellent, thank you!!

 

[Buck77]

In commercial hatcheries here is what is done: #hatched / #set = % hatch #hatch / #fertile = % Hatch of Fertile. % hatch measures all variables including the breeder flock, egg handling and incubation. % hatch of fertile measures egg handling and incubation.Most commercial hatcheries would be very happy with any thing over 90% hatch of fertile. I have seen 90% hatch of fertile with only an actual hatch of 70%. I wouldn't want to buy eggs from some one that tells me they hatch 92% from this flock only to find out that they didn't include the infertiles. If you are only interested in your incubation technique hatch of fertile is the best number to use

 

[TattooQ27]

Quote:
Good info, thanks!!! So if I set 24 eggs with 22 are developing well and 2 clears I would calculate it as - 22/24 actually hatch I will have a 91% hatch and I would have 100% hatch of fertile, correct? If so, I can't complain about that.

 

[speckledhen]

If you want to make it sound even better you could round up to 92%, LOL. Yup, that'd be a good hatch for you, certainly!

 

[Buck77]

Just because they candle clear doesn't mean they weren't fertile they could just be early dead. Most hope to keep early dead under 3%, mid dead under 1% and late dead under 3% as well. You cant do a whole lot better than that consistently in the real world.

 

[speckledhen]

When I remove what I think is a clear, I open it. If it started at all, the yolk will either look like swirly storm clouds or there will be evidence of a vein, so I always check before I toss. It is true that an egg can be ferilized, but never start to develop at all. Happened all the time with my blue Orp over Lt. Brahma hen. Their chemistry never meshed. Her eggs were fertilized, but never developed, not here or shipped. Tried about 50 of them.
Overall, I'm not that concerned with hatch rate as long as I get out of the hatch what I need. It can make you crazy! There are so many factors involved.

 

[chikinlady]

Even though this is an old thread, it contains all the information I was looking for. Since my hatch rates have been so low, I'm trying to keep better records to help pinpoint the problem areas. The information that speckledhen gave on checking clear eggs will be especially useful.

 

[RustyBucketFarm]

This older thread has helped me understand hatch rate a little better. I would so appreciate someone helping with my personal recent hatch rate.

I started with 39 eggs gathered over four days and candled them at 10 days incubation. There were 5 that were not fertile and 1 that stopped developing (just small dark heart spot). All 33 eggs that were left were viable at 10 days incubation. I again candled at day 14 and all eggs were alive and moving. I did not candle again when I placed them in the incubator on the 18th day of incubation. The result was 23 live and healthy chicks. As for the other eggs 1 had zipped the shell but did not get through the membrane and the others did not absorb their yolk's and died in the shell without trying to hatch.

So the end result is out of 39 starting eggs I have 23 live chicks but 5 of those were not fertile. How do I calculate my hatch rate? Thank you for your help!