Failed hatches/failure to thrive - suspected causes

[Sydney65]

I know this is incubation info, but I'm not sure guinea folk venture into other forums that often. Anyway, thought it might be helpful info when looking for decreased hatch rates.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I know this is incubation info, but I'm not sure guinea folk venture into other forums that often. Anyway, thought it might be helpful info when looking for decreased hatch rates.View attachment 2877512View attachment 2877513

Interesting, Sydney. Is your breeder NPIP certified? At a minimum, they test for the Pullorum serovar of Salmonella, which is rare in the U.S….

 

[Sydney65]

Interesting, Sydney. Is your breeder NPIP certified? At a minimum, they test for the Pullorum serovar of Salmonella, which is rare in the U.S….

No, like most, he's just some guy on craigslist/ebay.So far, so good.16 of 18 developing well, aircells righted themselves fairly nicely. 8 days to lockdown.
It seems like, & I don't know if it's new so much as perhaps the experienced don't go by a calendar?- anyway, a trending toward not locking down on a certain day, but when the internal pips begin. I can see where that would be diff if one works away from home. But even if you are at home, doesn't it make it diff for the chick who's already pipped to wait until then to elevate humidity and do whatever a specific unit requires ie removing turner? - But then, that last batch the 3 int pips were early. I need to look that up, bc it seems like they were a cpl of days early.

 

[Sydney65]

No, like most, he's just some guy on craigslist/ebay.So far, so good.16 of 18 developing well, aircells righted themselves fairly nicely. 8 days to lockdown.
It seems like, & I don't know if it's new so much as perhaps the experienced don't go by a calendar?- anyway, a trending toward not locking down on a certain day, but when the internal pips begin. I can see where that would be diff if one works away from home. But even if you are at home, doesn't it make it diff for the chick who's already pipped to wait until then to elevate humidity and do whatever a specific unit requires ie removing turner? - But then, that last batch the 3 int pips were early. I need to look that up, bc it seems like they were a cpl of days early.

I was right, the 3 internally pipped the day before I planned lockdown and then stopped.. Difference in incubators? That was 1st hatch w/NR360. Scanning back, that hadn't been happening w/Brinsea, they were hatching on 26/27 days, and I was having problems w/ Brinsea holding temp.hmmmm.... not necessarily a good thing that those babies came early, though..

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I was right, the 3 internally pipped the day before I planned lockdown and then stopped.. Difference in incubators? That was 1st hatch w/NR360. Scanning back, that hadn't been happening w/Brinsea, they were hatching on 26/27 days, and I was having problems w/ Brinsea holding temp.hmmmm.... not necessarily a good thing that those babies came early, though..

What days were internal and external pips?

 

[Sydney65]

What days were internal and external pips?

3 Internally pipped on day 24(wed) so I locked down. 1 externally pipped on day 25 (thurs) By Friday (26day) a.m. one had a crack from the pip about 1/4 of the way around. (That was Friday, day 26). No one else externally pipped. I assisted that one Friday night and gave everyone else air holes (I know now, wait until they have internal pips to do that).
And started assisting the rest on Sat morning, day 27, 2 were already dead, 2 died after hatch.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

3 Internally pipped on day 24(wed) so I locked down. 1 externally pipped on day 25 (thurs) By Friday (26day) a.m. one had a crack from the pip about 1/4 of the way around. (That was Friday, day 26). No one else externally pipped. I assisted that one Friday night and gave everyone else air holes (I know now, wait until they have internal pips to do that).
And started assisting the rest on Sat morning, day 27, 2 were already dead, 2 died after hatch.

Since they developed in the early side, did you turn down your temperature a little for your current batch?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Are you solely relying on the onboard instruments for temperature and humidity readings? The NR can actually be calibrated which should be done before every hatch however, I would still highly recommend using an analog hygrometer and thermometer inside your incubator whenever incubating. The onboard instruments are often wrong which will leads to exactly what you have been experiencing.

 

[Sydney65]

Since they developed in the early side, did you turn down your temperature a little for your current batch?

Yes

Are you solely relying on the onboard instruments for temperature and humidity readings? The NR can actually be calibrated which should be done before every hatch however, I would still highly recommend using an analog hygrometer and thermometer inside your incubator whenever incubating. The onboard instruments are often wrong which will leads to exactly what you have been experiencing.

You are absolutely right. No, I now have several instruments in there that have been calibrated (trust issues). They all line up with each other based on location, none agree w/the unit. There are also hot spots/cool spots so in addition to turning I 've been repositioning, turning the egg crate in opposing directions or actually relocating the eggs. I suppose w/auto turning those hot/cool spots are more natural to hen's movements.