Hatch rate???

[steponme1104]

I ordered 18 eggs from a breeder on BYC and set them on the 28th. We are at day 10 and when I candled tonight I have 6 definite movement eggs, 1 blood ring and 1 development but no movement and the rest either quit at/before day 3 or are clear. So that's like a 33% hatch rate if all 6 hatch. Is that a decent hatch rate for shipped eggs or what??
Thanks for the input!!!

 

[mrslb333]

Shipped eggs hatch rates vary a lot. There are so many factors beyond yours or the sellers control, so its always a gamble. I would say 6/18 isn't bad given the time of year considering the colder weather and no doubt the christmas post holding things up a bit

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

It's not the worst hatch rate. I once had only one chick out of two dozen eggs make it. By any chance, did you set any "control" eggs from your own flock to make sure it isn't due to fluctuations in your own incubator? That can be helpful in the future. If you don't have a rooster of your own, you could find a "hatch buddy" from nearby to give you some fertile, unshipped eggs. That will let you be sure everything in your incubator is running smoothly. Are all 18 eggs the same breed, or is it a variety? I get the impression some breeds handle shipping better than others and there are certain chicken breeds that generally have lower hatch rates, such as true Araucanas.

 

[Gypsy07]

Excellent tip about setting a 'control group' of your own eggs. I always do this just to reassure myself that any bad hatches are due to shipping trauma and that my incubating skills aren't the problem. Last three hatches have been 100% for my own eggs, every time, but only 15-25% for the shipped eggs.

I don't set a huge control group, just two or three extra eggs each time. I figure that's enough.

 

[steponme1104]

Yes I did set 6 of my own silkie eggs, 5 of the 6 are doing wonderful and 1 has a blood ring! I was really bummed...I thought maybe we did something wrong but my eggs are doing pretty well All my eggs are silkies eggs even my shipped ones, though they do vary by color. I really appreciate you guys taking the time to comment...I had 47 views and only 3 comments!! Thanks so much for your thoughts

 

[anderson8505]

Quote:
Good advice. I have just started hatching eggs and my shipped egg hatches are dismal. My own egg hatch is 100%. I need floo powder to get eggs from place to place without having to use ANY shipping service. (they are all not suited for hatching eggs!)

 

[Gypsy07]

Floo powder, LOL!

If you're already getting great hatch rates from your own eggs then setting a control group obviously can't in any way help you to improve your hatch rate on shipped eggs, but at least it reassures you that YOU'RE not the problem, it's just the shipping.

There are ways to maximise the chances of shipped eggs by packing them in multiple layers, but you need to find a co-operative seller who is willing to pack the way you want, or of course a seller who already knows how to pack eggs properly. They seem to do best if they're each wrapped in an individual layer of bubble wrap, then packed tightly in a small carton inside more bubble wrap, then the small carton is placed inside a bigger box and cushioned all round with straw or shredded paper. When I send my hatching eggs this way, usually about 80% of them will develop and about 65%+ of them will hatch if they're incubated correctly. Good packaging really does make a big difference...

P.S. Steponme: 5/6 developing is a good result. Not much you can do about blood rings really. Just one of those things...

 

[Melissa Rose]

Do you pick your eggs up at the post office or let the delivery person bring them? Mine went from 2 out of 36 hatching delivered to 23 out of 36 hatching picked up

 

[steponme1104]

Melissa that's a big improvement!! The post office was suppose to call me but they didn't and I wasn't home so they sat in front of the garage for a couple hours! I was very disappointed but I didn't think it was clearly written on the box either! I guess it just wasn't meant to be! But I've re-ordered from a different breeder...maybe I'll have better luck

 

[steponme1104]

Gypsy07,

Thank you for all your advice and help! I truly appreciate it. Maybe I should watch for one of your auctions