Documenting staggered hatch, NOW COMPLETE; PICTURES added 12-30.

[speckledhen]

Well, drat on the slipped tendon! Wonder what the heck is up with that? The breeders get supplemental vitamins and protein all the time. Hmm. Maybe a disconnect in how that joint is forming somehow....just no idea. I'm beginning to wonder if it's a weakness in the Meier lines, just like the dwarf gene that keeps popping up. I think Ellie may have some Meier blood in her-she's my largest, best marked girl.

 

[joletabey]

Kathy- One of mine had tendon problem, too- she looks a little deformed, and moves more slowly, but she gets around, eats live a stevedore, seems ok. I did that tendon pull thing several times - it may be, as Cyn says, just in that line - do post pics of the babies!!!!

Cyn- is the dwarf gene in the Meier line? Mine w/ the tendon problem is smaller than all the others except for Superchick. ....

 

[kathyinmo]

Cyn,
Do you think the 2 could be related ... the slipped tendon, and the dwarfing gene? As luck would have it, I do have 2 of Ellie's chicks. Maybe we will get lucky here, and figure who is carrying the gene.

 

[speckledhen]

I think it's possible that they are related, yes. I've never had issues with any other breeds and since the dwarves and the tendon issues are both coming out in some of the chicks (though others are just spectacular-looking, healthy kids), I'm thinking the Meier lines are the connection here. Meier produced many show-winning Delawares, but are somewhat inbred, from what I can gather. That is not unusual in show lines, really, but with the upside, there's always a downside. Isaac is Meier and seems at least one of his girls is part Meier lines. As you can see, Ike has no health issues, quite the opposite, but when his genes combine with that particular girl, these issues are coming out. With Kathy's help, I may be able to figure out which one she is and just not use her eggs, if I can distinguish them. Or, I can put her in a different pen entirely.

 

[Ridgerunner]

34 new chicks. Congratulations.

Been trying to follow this thread. Have I got this right?

1st hatch

of 28 eggs, 13 hatched, or 46%. You took these from an incubator and put them in a hatcher. I think you had problems with the humidiy in the hatcher.

2nd hatch

of 27 eggs, 13 hatched , or 48%. You left these in the incubator and raised the humidity. I read about the accident with the Orp egg, but I'm only counting what you definitely have.

3rd hatch

of 12 eggs, 8 hatched, or 67%. These went through the higher humidity of the second hatch but it did not seem to hurt them.

Nice thread, neighbor. Thanks for your effort.

 

[kathyinmo]

I dunno ... do you count the clears, when doing the percentages? I thought you don't, and that you only count the viable ones. ?? I wonder if the late quitters were (some of them) due to humidity issues? At least the second part of the hatch, anyway. First part, I moved and they did have the humidity.

part 1 (not shipped, I drove 100 miles to get)
13 hatched
6 clear
4 early quitters (before day 10)
3 late quitters (probably at lockdown?)
2 died after pipping ... ???

part 2 (shipped)
13 hatched
3 clear
2 early quitters
5 late quitters
4 Orps story (1 pip, 1 I killed, 1 quitter, 1 upside down dead in shell)

part 3 (shipped)
8 hatched
4 clear

 

[PandoraTaylor]

Congratulations-

That would replace my entire Flock (btw)

 

[speckledhen]

Kathy, you do not count the ones that never began to develop. Since they were probably infertile, it's like they didn't exist. Hatch rate and fertility rate are calculated differently.

For instance, by my calculation, the first batch had a 62% hatch rate . The fertility rate is about 81%, though.

Second group 54% hatch rate: 27-3 clears= 24. 13 divided by 24 gives you the hatch rate. However, the fertility rate is about 89%.

Third batch is actually a 100% hatch rate. The fertility rate is different, though. 8 divided by 12= 67% fertility rate, if the clears mean they never developed at all.

 

[kathyinmo]

That is exactly how I thought to figure it. Thanks, Cyn!

 

[JanieMarie]

Congratulations Kathy on a hatch well done!!

That was a long haul and you stuck to it diligently from start to finish! Hope you have a really big brooder!!