Improving fertility

[BamaChicken]

I am doing a test now after having trimmed vent feathers. I have one really beautiful Blue Orp pullet I need Chicks out of. It makes no sense to me that I see the Roo breed her and out of four eggs layed in a week I have one fertile. I guess i was under the impression if they are bred that they would be fertile for a few days. Anyway I have some eggs to candle Monday nite and will be setting more that nite. I will see if the trimming has improved anything.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Wait...you said that the fertility was the issue?

If the embryos are developing, then the hens are able to be bred effectively by the male.

 

[Smoky73]

Quote:
Exactly. If you have developing eggs (which it sounds like you do) then fertility in NOT the issue, the birds are doing the job well, the problem is in the incubation.
I only feed Purina Game Bird Layena during breeding season, never a plain layer feed. (I do not have Dumor as a brand here) The extras that are in it (animals proteins, not soy) and the higher protein percent in general helps embreyos grow and hatch much better. Keeping from using an old roosters/hens helps as well.
I would check to see what your humidity is running. But, if your just feeding a layer feed, I would bet you will have better results with a better feed.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

A few of the eggs are developing, but most are just scrambled when I toss them after 23 days. I'm guessing that is a fertility issue. The precious few that do develop die before hatching. I've only had two make it through hatch. One was incubated (by someone else) and one was under a hen. I know the one under a hen I had to help out. He is fine now as a 4 month old strapping cockeral.

This last round had three in my incubator. It was my first time hatching, so there were certainly mistakes. One made it to zipping, then died. It was completely formed when I checked. When I candled last night, one was really porous and I don't think developed. The third had a mass in it but no movement. I'll give them all another day and then turn it off. In the interest of science I crack all my non-developed eggs. (Although I do it from afar after having one explode in my face. Blech!)

I think I have both a fertility issue AND an incubating issue (at least with me. The hens seem to be doing a swell job of it.).

So we think-
A) Trim the tushies on my hens to help with the fertility problem. We know the rooster is mounting them. He just might not be doing the deed properly. Trimming will begin tonight!

B) Go find some sort of higher protein game bird feed to help the developing chicks.

C) Trade my 1602 out for the 1588 that I wanted and incubate away!!! Whoohoo! (I really like option C.)

 

[lildinkem]

Hi
It MIGHT be too much candling during the first week or too. I know I was very hyped up to watch every day and candle my first few batches that I tried to incubate. I had lowsy hatches. IF I might suggest, that you try not to candle an egg till minimum day 10. In the early days the eggs are sooooo fragile, you can rip them up with too much moment. I had a friend watch his broody hen. She ONLY got up 3 times during the entire incubation of 20 some eggs. And twice was in the last 4 days. She went 11 days without getting up. Not even for water yet alone food. he had to put water right up to the nest box, and she still wouldn't budge.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Good thought. It's very tempting to check on things.
I candled at day 7, 10 and 17. Next time I'm not touching those suckers. I think my odds of killing them are greater than a bad egg exploding in the bator.
Thanks for the help!

 

[lildinkem]

I had my best hatch, cause I had a box of these BC Maran's eggs that looked like it floated down the river and punted all the way to my house. It was 9 eggs and 7 hatched out. Prolly cause I NEVER thought they would hatch. And didn't touch them till day 15. Might be a good idea.
And don't be afraid of letting the humidity start out at 60% and add no water till it hits 35% humidity. This assures the little ones won't drown in their own egg. Then on day 18 pump it up way over 65%. My first batch I lost all but 2 out of 14 eggs for that reason.

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

I suggest you find a store near you that sells: southern states, blue seal, or purina and change that feed. I love to candle and do it a lot! I have good hatches. Here may be the differences: I have egg turners (so I don't even need to move the eggs to candle) and 2...I have a cool-lume egg candler! I love that thing! There hasn't been an egg I can't see in since I got it, even marans and ameraucana eggs. Also... Take notes. I make marks on the eggs with sharpies. If I check the egg 3 times between days 7-18 and I have written 3 no's, it does not go into the hatcher or back under the hen. I won't risk the entire batch over one bad egg.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

And don't be afraid of letting the humidity start out at 60% and add no water till it hits 35% humidity. This assures the little ones won't drown in their own egg. Then on day 18 pump it up way over 65%. My first batch I lost all but 2 out of 14 eggs for that reason

This is a form of dry incubation--which works well in areas that have high ambient humidity--but in areas such as the desert where we have very low ambient humidity, it does not work well at all.

I keep my incubator humidity at 64% the entire time, and seem to have found success for my location.​

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I just cleaned out the incubator and left the hygrometers on the kitchen counter. Humidity in the house is currently at 84%.

It's a struggle to not drown them on days 1-18!

It's not the heat, it's the humidity that gets you down here!