Low hatch rate.

[ChickenLegs13]

I've noticed that if I don't store my eggs properly while I'm accumulating the clutch, (too hot, too long, not turning etc) my hatch rate suffers and the chicks that hatch have health problems and a failure to thrive.

 

[member 142084]

I put then in the same day I gather. And I learned that mistake once too. I grabbed the wrong basket of eggs But the think is a hen gets off on occasion right? She has to drink water and eat food... so eggs can handle an occasional cool off.

 

[HardizzlesFlock]

Won't your hatches be staggered then? Or do you only set what you get in one day?

 

[member 142084]

I put in 3 days worth of eggs so they only stagger a little I get 4-10 a day in the winter. Depends on how many the sneaky egg eater gets -_- so annoying. I have 15 layers 3 of which are are going on 3, but they are breeding stock only which I can't replace. SO they don't lay everyday. And that includes the duck eggs. I have 3 laying ducks one lays in the poopy mud puddle so that one never gets counted.

 

[PimentoPlymouth]

its probably a farm innovator bator.....Is it styrofoam or plastic? Sometimes the temp flucuation can do them harm but like you said a broody does have to get off of them to eat/drink/relieve herself etc. So i dont know what may be wrong....How often are they getting turned? Just shooting in the dark here.

 

[member 142084]

styrofoam Hova-bator 10602N. I had to put the duckling back in he found a way out of the brooding box and got beat up. by the chickens Poor baby. I lost the chick so he is alone and that's the problem. So Quacky is getting spoiled and hand fed by 3 kids lol.

I have hand turned twice a day or used an egg turner. The turner is nice but I have lost 2 chicks to getting caught in it. And if I remove it there is no nesting to keep any warmth so the eggs cool more rapidly then if they were left laying in a nest warmed by mother. I try to be quick but the heat gets lost so I lately just stopped using the turner. This is my 2nd year 8th batch. will try again once the duck is out and i clean it again. I just a bit baffled. can cats pass something? Cuz she likes to hatch the eggs, but this one she did not have access to it.

 

[PimentoPlymouth]

I cant see the cats having anything. She probably just like the heat coming off of it. How often is she sitting on it and where are the vents on the incubator. I haven't heard very good things about the strofoam incubators. I personally haven't used one but I have heard from people they have a hard time holding temp and if your temp in your room flucuates very much that may be a problem. Good you use the turner until they start to go in lockdown and just put them in there? Very intersting hopefully someone with more expierence will chime in.

 

[member 142084]

I am shooting in the dark too I have chickens from 2 hatcheries and 1 breeder the hatchery ones are about all gone except the finest ones and I have bred in my stripes. I just need more than 3-9 peeps surviving if I get 75% roos. granted I sell and or eat the roos but I need more hens to replenish my layers. I may look for some new breeding quality buffs though. add to the mix.

 

[PimentoPlymouth]

Yea could be a genetic thing..........only one way to find out.

 

[member 142084]

I cant see the cats having anything. She probably just like the heat coming off of it. How often is she sitting on it and where are the vents on the incubator. I haven't heard very good things about the strofoam incubators. I personally haven't used one but I have heard from people they have a hard time holding temp and if your temp in your room flucuates very much that may be a problem. Good you use the turner until they start to go in lockdown and just put them in there? Very intersting hopefully someone with more expierence will chime in.

Yeh the vent are on top but I checked she only blocks two of them and she would cat nap everyday, the temps didn't change. They only fluctuate in the winter depending how cold it gets granted now that I think about t. it had been warm then we just one day got snow and it was freezing for a week. and that is the same week our heater quit working so it was cold in the bathroom. moreso at night. It was their first week in too. I dunno.. I may just get another bator. My hens won't get broody on me and I have fake eggs to tempt them. It would be so much more simple if 2 or 3 did