Just an observation...

[Mrs MIA]

I have noticed that there seems to be a higher instance of deformities the longer they take to hatch.

For example...I had a coturnix quail hatch due 1/23, and most of the eggs hatched then. But there were a handful that I left in the hatcher. My mistake, I added more eggs to the hatcher, the newer ones to the left of the old ones in the carton, but nothing to distinguish them. Well, this morning 1/26, I had one that I am sure is an old egg (it was to the far right of the carton) hatch. It is VERY wet, looks like a weeble with its big fat belly, and both feet are deformed. All of the other dozen chicks are a-okay.

Out of ALL the eggs that I've hatched this past year, I have noticed that 99% of the late hatchers (> 1 day overdue) have problems like this. Has anyone else noticed this?

Do you have any other "ah ha!" thoughts similar to this that relate to incubating and hatching? I'd like to hear them.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, I have noticed. Its why I rarely let any eggs go past 22 days. Late hatching is not a good thing and even if your temps are a bit low, they should hatch by Day 22. The ones who are later are rarely strong.

 

[Mrs MIA]

So you just take them out, regardless?

 

[wegotchickens]

With mine, I've noticed that the one that pips first is also the one that never hatches successfully on it's own. It's like it calls all the others out and then gives up

 

[BirdBoy88]

I've had that happen as well but i always thought it was from just being in the egg to long that curls there legs and things ?

i don't know.. but i do give each chick a chance to hatch and make it though... after they hatch and 2 days go by and they are not walking and still not well then there's know choice but to cull

 

[Katy]

I agree that late hatchers often times have issues.....most of the time with their feet. I think they have a hard time using their feet to position themselves and zip in a timely manner. That is why I don't generally give them anytime past day 22 nor do I help the stragglers.

 

[speckledhen]

I just go on a case by case basis. Rarely does a really late hatcher do well. Last time we helped out one on Day 23, it never got to its feet and we had to cull it, sadly. I read once that late hatching is a trait you can perpetuate by allowing late hatchers to live, but for some reason, I cant quite wrap my mind around that.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I may have to give some serious thought to pulling the eggs at day 22, then. Or day 18 for the quail. This poor little guy struggled so hard to get out, only to meet his demise...

 

[hatchaholic]

I pull mine at day 22, too.

 

[BirdBoy88]

my jumbo coturnix chicks ddn't start hatching until day 18 through 19 and i had to help about 5 of them out and out of the 5 that i helped only one died and the rest are doing fine now.. all are 2 weeks old now

i have about 17 of them