Last several bator hatches failed

[pmsnrn]

HELP!!! I have 2 of the styrofoam bators, one with an auto-turner, and one I am using as a hatcher. But my last several hatches have been less than successful. Less than 50% hatching, and of the ones that do hatch...not all survive. Used to have very successful hatching, and not doing anything differently that I can think of... Any ideas????

 

[Flawedatdesign]

Your you checking to see what happened? Infertile eggs maybe?

 

[al6517]

Feed, time of year and most importantly bird conditioning is crutial to fertility.

 

[yinepu]

I am assuming you have had several successful hatches in these same incubators before?.. if that's the case it could be residue of whatever you used to clean them OR a bacterial issue form not being sterilized well enough

 

[pmsnrn]

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I have been candling to check fertility, and have culled the eggs which were not developing. The eggs progress along nicely with development, then...NOTHING!!!

 

[pmsnrn]

Quote:
Yeah, successful hatches before. Now, it's like they get to the end of the road, and stop!

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
Yeah, successful hatches before. Now, it's like they get to the end of the road, and stop!

Sounds like a bacterial issue then

how do you clean your bator?.. there is a good chance something funky is surviving and killing off your chicks before they can pip

 

[pmsnrn]

I have been cleaning with a bleach solution. Any suggestions? Haven't cleaned the turner. Might be it?

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
personally I never use bleach.. leaves too much of a residue behind.. and yeah.. when you clean an incubator everything inside it needs to be cleaned

i go through several steps when i clean:

1) clean out all the loose gunk
2) wash with a mild dish detergent to get the rest of the gunk and then rinse
3) when it LOOKS clean I wash it again with vinegar and rinse
4) wash again with baking soda mixed with water and rinse
5) wash a final time with hydrogen peroxide and rinse, dry and then let air dry to remove any excess dampness


I know it sounds like a lot to go through.. but I have never had any funky residues left behind and never had a bacterial problem doing it this way

 

[seminolewind]

Hi. I use 2 thermometers and a humidistat. I try to keep the bator as close to 100 degrees as possible with the thermometer level with the top of the egg. The humidity I keep is about 25-28%, and day 18, jacked up to 65-70%. I do turn twice a day by hand. And while I do this once a day I move the outer eggs inward, and the inner eggs outward.

Shipped eggs are usually 50% hatch, sometimes more. Sometimes it depends on the type of chicken, the health of the egglayers. If you are at a high altitude, you may get less of a hatch due to atmospheric pressure. If you bleach your bators, make sure you rinse well and open air dry for 24 hours.

If all else fails, get a few silkies to hatch your eggs.