Incubators Anonymous

[ChickNmamma]

Alright I have some questions. In my last few hatches I have had some really big eggs from an old Wellie/Leghorn cross hen, along with some small EE eggs. In many cases the small to normal eggs hatched fine but the big ones had a lower hatch rate and it seems at least one chick from that hen would have a leg problem. Several with one leg stuck straight out in front, sometimes with the other straight out back, some with both legs out front. Most of them by the third day were getting up and around and after a week you couldn't tell any difference. One of the ones with both it's legs to the front couldn't get around to eat or drink and died. I never had any problem with the EE. I figured maybe because the eggs & chicks were so big they couldn't turn in the shell and got stuck or something.

The latest hatch tho I had one day, around day 19 that I totally spaced turning the bator back on after adding water.

When I got home from work it was about 76 degrees in there. This hatch rate was much lower than the last three. and I have 4 chicks with leg problems, including 3 EE chicks.

SO I am wondering if there might be something else going on? I know that incubation temp can have an effect on development, but I don't remember what the different results were besides hatching a little sooner or a little later.

Or do you think it is being caused by something else? I was beginning to think maybe it was genetic, but now with other hen's chicks having it, I think it's something to do with the bator and incubating itself.

Older hen? My biggest eggs are from my oldest girls. Some of them are around 7 years old. Their eggs don't hatch well. The young girls are about a year now - and the ones I let a broody hatch was fine. I found when my girls were younger their eggs hatched. Not so much any more...'

I think the extreme cool down in the next hatch might have stalled them a bit at day 19 - they spent their energy keeping moving to find the heat instead of using it to hatch?

There could be multiple causes of the same seeming symptoms. Spraddle leg and curled toes etc can also be caused by deficiencies in the parents' diets, perhaps splay leg could too?

Anybody else have any problems hatching older hens' eggs? I know fertility goes down on the rooster as he ages .. but even with a new rooster they didn't do well..

 

[DMRippy]

Donna - Here are your CCL x leghorn chicks! 2 blacks and 2 yellows. The blacks are tiny! They almost look like bantams.



I also got 3 cuckoo marans. Can they be sexed at hatch? 2 have a small/clear yellow spot and one has a bigger messier spot.

Yes cuckoos can be sexed. Sounds like 2 pullets and a roo. Odd they are smaller. Same chickens for all the eggs...... OH maybe not. I think I had 2 pullets in that pen. 1 was the exchequer cross and the other is a leghorn..... oh I can't remember

So the 2 black came from the exchequer cross for sure. She maybe younger... were the eggs smaller? They will catch up.

 

[DMRippy]

Sorry I can't keep up right now... I just skimmed.... if I missed something sorry.

I made some changes for this hatch. 1) I took a pill bottle cap and drilled a hole and put the probe through it to use it like an umbrella to keep the drips off. 2 ) I didn't put any eggs in the HOLE OF DEATH corner. I did put a basket with 2 containers of water. When I left the temp was fine and the humidity was pushing 70% I liked that. There was lots of condensation on the glass though. Really nothing major was changed so we will see if that help with shrink wrapping this time.

Nobody offered an opinion on my baskets with solid bottoms in the new hatcher. Do you see a problem with that as long as there is air circulating around the baskets? He may be able to work in the hatcher this week.... we will see. If I need to make changes NOW is a good time before he starts cutting wood.

 

[Zootopia]

Gh

Sorry I can't keep up right now... I just skimmed.... if I missed something sorry.

I made some changes for this hatch.  1) I took a pill bottle cap and drilled a hole and put the probe through it to use it like an umbrella to keep the drips off. 2 ) I didn't put any eggs in the HOLE OF DEATH corner.  I did put a basket with 2 containers of water.  When I left the temp was fine and the humidity was pushing 70%  I liked that.  There was lots of condensation on the glass though.  Really nothing major was changed so we will see if that help with shrink wrapping this time.

Nobody offered an opinion on my baskets with solid bottoms in the new hatcher.  Do you see a problem with that as long as there is air circulating around the baskets? He may be able to work in the hatcher this week.... we will see.  If I need to make changes NOW is a good time before he starts cutting wood.

The Hole of death is a good spot for the water it seems. As far as the baskets, I say if you could get baskets without solid bottoms it would be better , but I don't see any huge problem with it. We are all watching for you new one. DH and DS are willing to build me a cabinet but wondering if DH thought that thru? I would definitely mean more hatching. Lol

 

[Zootopia]

Hey by the way I need to find some nice Welsumers. Nice big darker spotted eggs for my customers "Rainbow Basket ". Any recommendations for early next month?

 

[maryhysong]

Older hen? My biggest eggs are from my oldest girls. Some of them are around 7 years old. Their eggs don't hatch well. The young girls are about a year now - and the ones I let a broody hatch was fine. I found when my girls were younger their eggs hatched. Not so much any more...'

I think the extreme cool down in the next hatch might have stalled them a bit at day 19 - they spent their energy keeping moving to find the heat instead of using it to hatch?

There could be multiple causes of the same seeming symptoms. Spraddle leg and curled toes etc can also be caused by deficiencies in the parents' diets, perhaps splay leg could too?

Anybody else have any problems hatching older hens' eggs? I know fertility goes down on the rooster as he ages .. but even with a new rooster they didn't do well..

When it was just from the older hen I figured maybe just her eggs. But the last hatch it was also some EE that in their first year of lay. That is why I thought it might be incubation.

My birds are on organic layer feed, 17% with fish meal, they also have oystershell in the pen and I feed back eggshells. They get some scraps, weeds, garden stuff as available. I can't free range due to dog problems.

 

[RideRed93]

Yay!! My first chick ever just hatched I am beyond excited!! I'm a new mamma

How long do I leave it in the incubator for? How long does it usually take to dry with a humidity of 65%? when can I put in the brooder ? and is it okay to go in the brooder by itself - we are still waiting on the others to hatch..

Sorry for the ''first time'' questions but I am hoping somebody can help me answer these..

 

[ChickNmamma]

Yay!! My first chick ever just hatched

I am beyond excited!! I'm a new mamma

How long do I leave it in the incubator for? How long does it usually take to dry with a humidity of 65%? when can I put in the brooder ? and is it okay to go in the brooder by itself - we are still waiting on the others to hatch..

Sorry for the ''first time'' questions but I am hoping somebody can help me answer these..

It will dry in the incubator with a humidity of 65% and will probably raise it a bit by it drying. I usually leave my singles in until another one has hatched, they get lonely by themselves. The chicks can live for 3 days on what they absorbed before they need food and water. I usually leave them in for a day to orient themselves. They will talk to the hatching eggs too - and encourage them to come out! Do you have the eggs in a cut down egg carton or something to prevent "egg soccer"? That is usually the only concern with already hatched chicks vs.eggs - the hatched ones kick the unhatched ones around and the unhatched then try and re-orient themselves instead of breaking thru. Sometimes they get too tired to hatch and die if they do this too many times.

 

[RideRed93]

No they are just laying on their side.. so do I need to put them in a carton? my baby isnt really moving around a lot.. it hatched out by the light and is still huddle there.. he's not really moving around (yet). its been about 2 hours since it hatched.

It will dry in the incubator with a humidity of 65% and will probably raise it a bit by it drying.  I usually leave my singles in until another one has hatched, they get lonely by themselves.  The chicks can live for 3 days on what they absorbed before they need food and water.  I usually leave them in for a day to orient themselves.  They will talk to the hatching eggs too - and encourage them to come out!  Do you have the eggs in a cut down egg carton or something to prevent "egg soccer"?  That is usually the only concern with already hatched chicks vs.eggs - the hatched ones kick the unhatched ones around and the unhatched then try and re-orient themselves instead of breaking thru.  Sometimes they get too tired to hatch and die if they do this too many times.
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[ChickNmamma]

No they are just laying on their side.. so do I need to put them in a carton? my baby isnt really moving around a lot.. it hatched out by the light and is still huddle there.. he's not really moving around (yet). its been about 2 hours since it hatched.

It will dry in the incubator with a humidity of 65% and will probably raise it a bit by it drying. I usually leave my singles in until another one has hatched, they get lonely by themselves. The chicks can live for 3 days on what they absorbed before they need food and water. I usually leave them in for a day to orient themselves. They will talk to the hatching eggs too - and encourage them to come out! Do you have the eggs in a cut down egg carton or something to prevent "egg soccer"? That is usually the only concern with already hatched chicks vs.eggs - the hatched ones kick the unhatched ones around and the unhatched then try and re-orient themselves instead of breaking thru. Sometimes they get too tired to hatch and die if they do this too many times.

[/QUOTE]

Since they are hatching, don't change anything, move anything or take out or put in anything. Since you probably already are, keep watching them. Two hours after hatch they don't do much - leave it in for at least 8 hours to 12 hours. By then it will hopefully have some friends....

Good Luck with the hatch!