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Counting my chickens before they hatch!

Discussion in 'Incubating & Hatching Eggs' started by riftnreef, Nov 24, 2009.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Nov 24, 2009 #1
    riftnreef

    riftnreef Chillin' With My Peeps

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    OK, I am indeed familiar with the old addage, but being new to incubating eggs I'm curious about this. I started with 8 Serama eggs, and after candleing(sp?) at one week, only one was not developing and that got me to wondering... Speaking in approximate percentages and without any unforseen problems, at what point in development do most problems occur? Is there a specific point during incubation that you can start to count on them hatching?...or is it a crap shoot all the way through?
     
  3. Nov 24, 2009 #2
    eggsrcool

    eggsrcool Sussex Fanatic

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    I have always thought within the first 72 hours you are most likely to get deaths, I read it from somewhere, also I think later on in the cycle after 18 days becuase of the risk of drowning etc..
     
  5. Nov 24, 2009 #3
    Happy Chooks

    Happy Chooks Moderator Staff Member

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    Jul 9, 2009
    Northern CA
    My Coop
    I have only hatched once.

    I started with 12 eggs that were shipped. Of those, 1 ended up with a blood ring (early quitter) and 4 either never developed or quit very early. (I broke them open and it looked like a couple quit the first couple of days) So 7 eggs made it to lock down for hatching. Of those 7, 5 of them hatched. The other 2 never pipped (not even into the air sac) and died in their shell.
     
  7. Nov 24, 2009 #4
    Jess N Jeff

    Jess N Jeff Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Oct 25, 2009
    South San Diego, Cali
    In my hatchings I've noticed with shipped eggs that I get a 20-40% hatch rate. I have had it up to 80% from local eggs I picked up myself.

    Of the shipped eggs the majority either never were fertile or had blood rings by first candeling. I would say about 70%. The rest were either partial development(1/2 way) or chicks that quit right before braking inner membrane. I did have 1 duck that pipped and then died. When I oppened the egg I saw that he was missing his feet. I guess mother nature knew he would not fare well if he lived through hatching.
     

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