Chukar eggs 'quit' about halfway through?

[Cason]

Everything was going along fine - I'm not GOOD at candling, but I could see which were clear easy enough- NONE of the Chukars hatched (these are my eggs- not shipped) I'm wondering if it was because they were from hens that are laying for the first time (such as a pullet) ?? I know the incubator was OK.. all but 2 of the quail eggs hatched (same setting) I just added oyster shell to their pen (they hadn't had any) The embryos of nearly all the eggs were about half developed; only ONE tried to hatch, but failed. Any ideas?

 

[chickenwhisperer]

My chukars just started pipping bout 1.5 hrs ago, got 27 pips now.
I expect em out by tomoro . . .

If your eggs went 1/2 way then quit, then something had to have happened . . .
A temp spike or drop, wrong humidity, bacterias, could be anything.

The hens being too young shouldnt be an issue, after all the eggs ARE fertile . . .

I was told by the gamebird breeder I got my eggs from that chukar eggs do best when they are at least 2 weeks old.
Mine were disinfected and refrigerated for 2 weeks before I got them.

Try letting the eggs age for 2 weeks next time, you might get better results.

 

[Reeves]

refrigerated for 2 weeks

You shouldn't do that.

Egg Storage-room Environment

Hatching eggs should be stored in a cool and, if possible, constant-temperature room. The best temperature for egg storage is between 50 and 60f (10 and 16c). Ideal storage has a regulated constant temperature of 55f (13c). Room temperatures above 80f (27c) cause cell division to continue at an abnormal rate and will lower the hatch, by effecting the egg quality and by causing abnormalities, particularly in the brain and eye regions. Storage at freezing temperatures (32f [0c]) will affect the egg contents and crack the shells, destroying the egg. Even if the temperature is just above freezing, hatchability will decrease drastically after about three days. in gereral, hatchability is related to temperature and length of storage. Thus, at a constant temperature of 55f (13c), hatchability will hold up for the longest period. At higher storage temperatures (between 60 and 78f[16 and 26c]), hatchability will decline.
If the storage temperature is higher than normal or fluctuating, eggs must be set more frequently. The susceptibility of eggs to temperature extremes indincates that eggs should be collected several times a day, especially in hot weather (over 80f [27c]) or in very cold weather (near or below freezing).
Holding hatching eggs for longer periods of time can be desirable, as older eggs require a longer incubation period. Occasionally, breeders want to save eggs for longer periods, particularly at the beginning or the end of the season. However, if eggs held for two or more weeks are set along with fresher eggs, the older eggs shoud be allowed extra incubation time: they should be preset. Eggs held for three weeks require about eighteen hours of extra time.
Reynnells et al. (1977) found that coturnix and bobwhite eggs stored for longer that fourteen and twenty-five days, respectively, at temperatures of 78 to 82f (26 to 28c) failed to hatch, whereas comparable groups of eggs from the two species held under temperatures of 59 to 61f (15 to 16c) hatched at rates ranging from 70 to 80 percent.

( from the book: Commercial and Ornamental Game Bird Breeders Handbook, by Allen Woodard, Pran Vohra & Vern Denton)


More info: http://www.thatquailplace.com/smf/index.php?topic=3112.0​

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Reeves, I know you know your stuff and Im not trying to argue.

The chukar eggs I got, from a 32 year gamebird breeder lisenced by the state of Ca, were refrigerated and quite cold to the touch when I got them.
He specifically told me that he gets the best chukar hatch rates after 2 weeks, and even suggested I wait a few more days, closer to 3 weeks, to set.

They are hatching right now, 8 are out and theres only about 6 out of 75 that arent pipped, its about 22 days and 12 hrs . . .
He told me to expect an 85% hatch rate, if all my pips actually hatch that would be 92%.

I will call and see if the guy will tell me what temp the fridge is.

The pheasant eggs I got were also cold and refrigerated . . .

I paid $2 for each chukar egg, and so far its money well spent.

ETA- Im sure at this point, everyone interested in chukars has found this pdf . . .
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/21321e.pdf
Click directly on the egg storage section on left and read that specifically dealing with chukars, and check out the storage/hatchrate charts in the same section.
Even that author notes a higher hatch rate at [up to] 21 days rather than 1 week.
And turning chukar eggs during storage really cuts down on viability, as compared to coturnix in which turning during storage increases viability.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Taken from the PDF . . . remember, this deals specifically with Chukars

Clean eggs should be stored, large end up, on
trays or flats in a cool, well ventilated room
kept at about 55° F (12.8° C) at a relative
humidity of 70 percent. A unique feature of partridge
eggs is their ability to withstand storage
up to 28 days without appreciably affecting
hatchability (table 1). However, most breeders
prefer to set eggs every 7 days. Further studies
at the University of California show that eggs
need not be turned daily if the storage period
does not exceed 14 days (table 2).




TABLE 1. Influence of Length of Storage Time
on Hatchability of Game Bird Eggs.
Hatchability(%)
Holding period
(days) Chukar Pheasant Coturnix
1-7 78.4 58.1 57.4
8-14 77.1 41.7 60.0
15-21 79.4 17.6 25.7
22-28 66.0 7.1 14.4
29-35 37.7 0.0 4.2
36-42 22.3 0.0 0.0

TABLE 2. Effect of Turning Eggs During Storage
on Hatchability in Game Bird Eggs.
Hatchability (%)
Holding Chukar Coturnix
period
(days) Turned* Control Turned* Control
1-7 63.0 75.5 61.4 53.4
8-14 60.8 62.0 60.0 60.0
15-21 61.9 48.0 29.2 22.6
22-28 62.2 52.2 11.5 17.2
Average 61.9 59.4 40.5 38.3
*Eggs were turned through 90° twice a day during the hold
period


Embryo Mortality
A sampling of hatching eggs from each setting
should be candled on the seventh or eighth day
to check flock fertility and for other problems
that can be detected when “clear”-appearing
eggs are opened and examined for failure to
develop.
There are two peaks of embryo mortality for
chukar eggs (figure 4). The first peak occurs
between 3 to 5 days of incubation and most
mortality is due to a failure to form embryonic
structures or to a defect in embryonic and extraembryonic
organs and tissues.
The second and largest peak in mortality is
generally associated with several critical functions
occurring from the 20th to 24th day. These
functions include: change in position of the embryo
before pipping; utilization of the remaining
albumen; absorption of the yolk sac, and
change from allantoic to pulmonary respiration.​

 

[Cason]

That amazing- the holding period. I'll try that... I would have thought if something had gone wrong in my incubator it would also have killed the quail eggs.

 

[Reeves]

Reeves, I know you know your stuff and Im not trying to argue.

Didn't mean to sound like I was....sorry about that !

Good info you posted, and info I didn't know. Hope you do not mind me using it....?
I haven't had to deal with Chukars much. Been about 20 years since I had any.....​

 

[aprophet]

I have been trying to hatch a few chukars when they pip but do not make it out is there a list of reasons that this happens?

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Quote:
Didn't mean to sound like I was....sorry about that !

Good info you posted, and info I didn't know. Hope you do not mind me using it....?
I haven't had to deal with Chukars much. Been about 20 years since I had any.....

No problem!
Its not really my info anyways . . .

Hope I didnt come across as some know-it-all, its just that when I choose an animal to keep, I find out everything I can about it.
I have read soooo many articles/websites about chukars lately.

And chukars are the one bird Ive found that do not act or live "in the box"!

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Quote:

The second and largest peak in mortality is
generally associated with several critical functions
occurring from the 20th to 24th day. These
functions include: change in position of the embryo
before pipping; utilization of the remaining
albumen; absorption of the yolk sac, and
change from allantoic to pulmonary respiration.​