Expert advice needed

[chattery41]

I have an Easter Egger roo and hen that i got from the same place. There were a bunch in a big cabinet incubator. My problem is almost every chick i hatch has crooked toes and or splay leg. I know i have a good roo cause he also crosses a D'Uccle bantam and makes beautiful healthy babies. My hen does ok, she had 4 that were white leghorn cross and only one had crooked toes. SO my question is , is it something with true EEs or am i messing up incubation or maybe my EEs are too closely related ? Although with as many as she had at the time i kinda doubt they are too closely related BUT it's possible. Please help

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I have an Easter Egger roo and hen that i got from the same place. There were a bunch in a big cabinet incubator. My problem is almost every chick i hatch has crooked toes and or splay leg. I know i have a good roo cause he also crosses a D'Uccle bantam and makes beautiful healthy babies. My hen does ok, she had 4 that were white leghorn cross and only one had crooked toes. SO my question is , is it something with true EEs or am i messing up incubation or maybe my EEs are too closely related ? Although with as many as she had at the time i kinda doubt they are too closely related BUT it's possible. Please help

How are you incubating? It would be best if you can walk us through the step by step from the type/model incubator, your daily humidity/temperature levels that you maintain, etc - any detail you can think of. Are the successful hatches also being incubated or are they being done by broody hens? If incubated, are they being done in the same incubator and same exact process? Have you hatched any hatches that were "good" eggs and "bad" eggs all in the same exact hatch?

 

[chattery41]

I incubate in a homemade bator. I have the EEs and the EE X D'Uccles at the same time. I try to keep my temps at 99`, but i have a little flux in there. The humidity is harder but try to keep at 65%. If i go above that i get condensation. My EExD'U will usually hatch close to on time, my EEs usually 2-3 days later. It's crazy. I have great hatches with the Xs and not so great with the EEs.

 

[snowbird]

I believe your problem is that your temp. is a little low. I run mine at 100% and the humidity is 35-45 for the first 18 days and 60-65 the last three days. I hatch several Chicken and Guinea each year. Don