Problems Hatching

[londa01]

Just wondering if anyone besides me is having problems hatching this year. I've been hatching chicks and keets for several years and now I may get a 20 or 30 percent hatch rate.

 

[sourland]

Have you changed anything in your husbandry methods ? New feed, incubators, location of incubators, pens, anything ?

 

[auroaSfarm]

I hope that's not the case with shipped eggs I'm getting 6 silkie eggs next week!

 

[lazy gardener]

Just wondering if anyone besides me is having problems hatching this year. I've been hatching chicks and keets for several years and now I may get a 20 or 30 percent hatch rate.

Just had a broody hen hatch 10/12 eggs. She removed one at around day 12, and there was an early quitter. I would take some time to calibrate your thermometers and hygrometer. Just b/c they've been accurate in the past doesn't mean that they are still accurate. Have you checked the temp in all parts of the bator? What are you using for temp and humidity prior to lock down? Fan or still air? Have you been sterilizing your bator well between uses? What is it constructed with? I sterilize with bleach after every hatch, and AGAIN before starting it up again.

I hope that's not the case with shipped eggs I'm getting 6 silkie eggs next week!

Shipped eggs are notorious for having poor hatch rates. Do you have a number of successful hatches under your belt?

 

[auroaSfarm]

Just had a broody hen hatch 10/12 eggs. She removed one at around day 12, and there was an early quitter. I would take some time to calibrate your thermometers and hygrometer. Just b/c they've been accurate in the past doesn't mean that they are still accurate. Have you checked the temp in all parts of the bator? What are you using for temp and humidity prior to lock down? Fan or still air? Have you been sterilizing your bator well between uses? What is it constructed with? I sterilize with bleach after every hatch, and AGAIN before starting it up again.



Shipped eggs are notorious for having poor hatch rates. Do you have a number of successful hatches under your belt?

This is my first time hatching chicks. So I guess we will find out.

 

[lazy gardener]

Please, before you plug your bator in, read ALL of "hatching eggs 101" in the learning center. You are spending way too much money on shipped eggs to not learn everything you can before starting to incubate them. You need to familiarize yourself with your bator, find any warm and cool spots. Know what temp it is holding, know if the temp is dropping at night. Any success you have will be sheer luck if you do not take the time to calibrate your thermometers and hygrometer, and educate yourself on the incubation process, candling, and managing air cell size by managing your humidity. You need to calibrate thermometers to a known and guaranteed medical grade thermometer, and need to do the salt calibration on your hygrometer. In HE 101, there is a special section pertinent to shipped eggs.

 

[auroaSfarm]

Please, before you plug your bator in, read ALL of "hatching eggs 101" in the learning center. You are spending way too much money on shipped eggs to not learn everything you can before starting to incubate them. You need to familiarize yourself with your bator, find any warm and cool spots. Know what temp it is holding, know if the temp is dropping at night. Any success you have will be sheer luck if you do not take the time to calibrate your thermometers and hygrometer, and educate yourself on the incubation process, candling, and managing air cell size by managing your humidity. You need to calibrate thermometers to a known and guaranteed medical grade thermometer, and need to do the salt calibration on your hygrometer. In HE 101, there is a special section pertinent to shipped eggs.

I've done all the research you can get on hatching eggs and I'm using my broody hen to do all the work. Thank you for your concerns.