Japanese Bantam chicks due Oct 12

[nancylee]

Hi everyone
I got 2 hens and 1 roo in Sept from a poultry show. The man said he has gotten chicks from the grey pair the other hen is black.
This is my first time ever with chickens. I purchased a 1602N thermal air Hova-Bator. I have 4 eggs due Oct 12 but they don't look like they are near big enough in shell when I candlled them.
When I candlled them Oct 1 they all had movement and looked good. (so cool) Oct 7, no movement, and more then half the shell still clear, I still see red spidery veins, air pocket looks good, but they don't even seem to look like a chick. Should I be worried? I know bantams have low hatch rate and leathal gene, but should't they be bigger in shell? Do you think they died sometime between candling times?

Nancy

 

[shelleyd2008]

Japanese bantams have a lethal genes, it is connected with the very short legs. However, many of my bantams' eggs have seemed like they weren't 'full' and went on to hatch with no problems. I don't know if it's just because they are small birds, maybe it's because the eggs are bigger (i.e. hen eggs instead of pullet eggs) or what. So just be patient, they might be okay

 

[Megs]

i have a trio of grey japanese bantams i hatched from this summer, my first two attempts (a dozen eggs, and then 6 eggs) at incubating japanese eggs failed, a few started to develop and died before hatch, a few hatched and died within 24 hours and most didnt start at all (maybe low fertility as it was early in the spring, nor sure). my third attempt i got one (turned out to be a roo) and my fourth attempt i got 3, then next one 5! that was out of all the eggs i set in the 4 months i had them while they were laying (they dont lay super well) it was about 4-10 eggs per incubator load every 7-10 days

the eggs only seemed to get about 2/3-3/4 of the way "full" by the time the chicks were fully developed and hatching, but on day 18 (hatched day 19-20) were visibly moving inside the eggs upon candling. i was hatching from hen eggs (not pullet,and my new pullets ive raised this summer will be just at the 1 year mark by the time i start incubate their eggs in the spring).

hang in there and dont get discouraged, i have lost some that im sure must have been due to the lethal gene, that 25% will die from (dying right before hatch, not surviving hatch or dying within 24 hours of hatch) and it is always disheartening, since they look normal (i always open eggs that didnt make it to check how far they got, why they may have died, etc)

 

[nancylee]

Hi
Thanks for the info. I really am enjoying trying to hatch eggs, but boy is it stressful. Maybe after my first batch I won't be so stressed for the next ones.

Nancy