Genetic traits affecting hatching?

[brucieboy]

I am trying to hatch backyard specials - hen is hyline and rooster is faverolle/Plymouth rock. I have two flocks in different locations and an incubator. Out of 30 eggs and using 2 hens (1 in each location) and using the incubator twice I have only had 6 hatch and live. Another 6 have hatched but not survived and the rest have died in the egg almost fully developed. These are my lowest hatching rates. The chicks seem to get to the point where they pip and then stop or get through the pipping and out of the shell but then die. I have tried changing humidity in the incubator and considered temperature, but these do not explain the ones under the hens. The shells are average thickness and clean when laid (no poop) although the mother hens are about 4 years old and near the end of their laying term. Wondering if others have experienced this and if so, do you have any suggestions for what it could be? - my thoughts were on whether the hen or rooster have issues with hatching rates.

 

[sourland]

I have had problems with hatching eggs from some elderly hens. Many folks mate cockerels to old hens and older roosters to pullets to increase vitality. I really don't know whether or not that is effective.

 

[lazy gardener]

What are you feeding them? Protein content, mill date on bag. Any other food items? Any vitamins? How are you storing the eggs prior to incubating them? How old are the eggs when you incubate them? What temp are you incubating at? Fan or still air? What humidity during incubation and during lock down? And the most important ? of all, have you calibrated your thermometers and your hygrometer? Unless your thermometers have been calibrated to 100*F using a good medical grade thermometer as your gold standard, you can't trust your incubator temp. As for the hygrometer, it should be calibrated using salt. Do you run your bator for a few days to be sure it's holding accurate temps? Do you use a turner, or turn by hand? If by hand, how often?

 

[brucieboy]

What are you feeding them? Protein content, mill date on bag. Any other food items? Any vitamins? How are you storing the eggs prior to incubating them? How old are the eggs when you incubate them? What temp are you incubating at? Fan or still air? What humidity during incubation and during lock down? And the most important ? of all, have you calibrated your thermometers and your hygrometer? Unless your thermometers have been calibrated to 100*F using a good medical grade thermometer as your gold standard, you can't trust your incubator temp. As for the hygrometer, it should be calibrated using salt. Do you run your bator for a few days to be sure it's holding accurate temps? Do you use a turner, or turn by hand? If by hand, how often?

The chooks free range but eat layer pellets which is only a couple of months old by manufacture date. The eggs are stored in a carton on the bench and up to a week old. The temp is ok in the incubator and, yep, I run it a day prior to putting the eggs in. No humidity adjustment on the incubator, but it does turn automatically. The worry is the same hatch rate/issue is happening with the broody hens.

 

[Molpet]

I had increased hatch rates when I feed grower w/oyster shells on the side.

 

[lazy gardener]

Feed rapidly looses it's nutrient value 6 weeks after the mill date. When I am planning to hatch, I beef up my flock's nutrition. they normally get layer which is fermented. I always try to use up a bag of feed within 6 weeks of mill date. I see to it that they get plenty of extra greens, some animal protein, plenty of OS on the side, and I also give them multivitamins. I start this about 2 weeks prior to collecting eggs. I'm thinking your issue is nutrient related. If you have not calibrated your thermometers and hygrometers, that is also a likely possibility. You might also want to read all of Hatching eggs 101 in the learning center. This applies whether you are using broody hens or incubator.

No humidity adjustment on the incubator, but it does turn automatically. The worry is the same hatch rate/issue is happening with the broody hens.

I don't understand what you are saying re: the "no humidity adjustment on the incubator." What are you using for an incubator. The humidity can be adjusted by adding water to the bator, General recommendation is to keep the humidity at 30 - 40% during incubation and increase to 65 - 75% during lock down. You use the humidity to manage the air cell size. Too much humidity will result in decreased air cell size, possibly drowning the chicks when they internally pip.

I'm guessing your primary problem is nutrition. Your secondary problem may be your incubation technique.

 

[Nksg75]

Ok, I did some research, and we are going to assume it's not the incubator, or the food you feed, or even your broody hens.
Take out all those variables, and you are right, Genetics!!
I am not familiar with your breeds, as I don't have any of the three you mentioned.
Here is a article I was reading, and though I am no scientist, it could very well be that you have a creeper gene in there.
Now if by some miracle I am correct, (remember, I am no scientist) you would need to take a blood sample to truly figure it out.

 

[lazy gardener]

The only gene in the table you showed which would affect viability is rumplessness which is very uncommon. the only breed I can think of that is bred to be rumpless is the Araucana.

 

[Nksg75]

Your right, looking back I see what you mean. However is it possible any of the 3 combos in the mix could have a PO-2 gene? (Responsible for leg deformities?) if so could this explain why there were so many not able to make it out of the shell?
The website lists so many different genes, and to tell you the truth, it's very confusing.
I am just trying to help, but I see where I probably need to study what breeds typically have certain genes!!
Out of the six that actually hatched and are still living, are there any abnormalities?

 

[Nksg75]

Question for Lazy Gardner:
Regarding feed:
Where do you find the dates on the feed bags?
WHATs the oldest that should be fed to chickens?
Is 3 weeks too old?
I am not sure how old the bags are once they arrive at the feed stores.