Questions Concerning Nurture Right 360’s

[GunnyBun]

@CluckNDoodle I think you had experience with the Nurture Right 360’s. Did you find that your eggs hatched earlier than the planned hatch date?? I have noticed that my nurture right always does great, but the eggs hatch earlier than expected and planned. It always catches me off guard and I have to hurry up and get the brooder set up, because I thought I would have another few days to prepare! I was just wondering if you and any other person was experiencing this with their nurture right.

 

[SourRoses]

My last hatch (first w/ the NR 360) they hatched on Day 19! I was shocked!
It was 8 of 9 eggs and everyone was healthy and (very) active. In fact, they reset my standard on how peppy newly hatched chicks should be. It was "dry" (30%).

Early hatching is supposed to be because of higher temperatures... but high temps are supposed to be linked to leg/health problems, so I'm not sure that tracks?
Genetics doesn't seem to line up IMHO because people have different results with the same breeds.

I'm thinking it may be humidity. That could easily be mixed up with slightly higher temps because of the effect of temp on humidity.
Once it's absorbed the right amount of moisture, it's time for the chick to hatch. While sudden moisture loss causes problems, perhaps an accelerated gradual reduction of moisture has an entirely different effect?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

@CluckNDoodle I think you had experience with the Nurture Right 360’s. Did you find that your eggs hatched earlier than the planned hatch date?? I have noticed that my nurture right always does great, but the eggs hatch earlier than expected and planned. It always catches me off guard and I have to hurry up and get the brooder set up, because I thought I would have another few days to prepare! I was just wondering if you and any other person was experiencing this with their nurture right.

Not typically, some breeds seem to hatch a bit earlier and it's not uncommon to start seeing them hatching on day 20 but if they're hatching earlier that that the temps could be slightly high.

 

[Chicken poppy]

I don't have a Nurture Right but it is pretty consistent for my chicks to hatch two days early under a broody hen or in my Hovabator1588. I've calibrated it so I know the temperature is right and it happens under my broody hens. Different things can cause that. Most people think only of incubation temperature, which is a common cause. It might be a good idea to calibrate yours to make sure the incubating temperature is correct. I think the reason mine so consistently hatch early in the incubator or under a broody hen is due to heredity.

No, you are not crazy, at least because of this. To me it's just part of the world of hatching eggs.

Yes exactly. It happens, this years clutch majority happened 1-2 days early, some took a little later.

I find that 21 is more so the max then the minimum. Not saying eggs cant hatch (chicken eggs) at day 22 or whatnot, but its more uncommon. Only 2 of my chickens hatched on day 22 for the 2 incubations i did. One in a incubator one under a broody.

Though, my point is, a lot of the times you will get early eggs. 99% of my eggs are early. But i used that type of incubator (OP) and mine did hatch early to.

 

[GunnyBun]

Not typically, some breeds seem to hatch a bit earlier and it's not uncommon to start seeing them hatching on day 20 but if they're hatching earlier that that the temps could be slightly high.

I need to calibrate it, I’ve had it now for about two years with no problems but now I’m starting to experience some difficulties. Like a way lesser hatch rate than before but it also could be our rooster because he is getting quite old.

 

[GunnyBun]

Yes exactly. It happens, this years clutch majority happened 1-2 days early, some took a little later.

I find that 21 is more so the max then the minimum. Not saying eggs cant hatch (chicken eggs) at day 22 or whatnot, but its more uncommon. Only 2 of my chickens hatched on day 22 for the 2 incubations i did. One in a incubator one under a broody.

Though, my point is, a lot of the times you will get early eggs. 99% of my eggs are early. But i used that type of incubator (OP) and mine did hatch early to.

This year has been extremely weird for me the eggs aren’t hatching they are dying like at the last day

 

[GunnyBun]

Im no expert, but first things that come to mind are genetic issues and breed. Whats the breed? Where are you getting the eggs from? You aren’t washing them or anything are you? Whats your humidity and temp? And your turning them right?

It’s a mix of many breeds, and I usually take them from the boxes to the incubator. I never wash and I have a turner that does the job quite well. My temp is normal and I keep the humidity levels right for my area that I live in. It’s just been quite an awful year for incubating for me at least. This is not the first year for me I’ve been doing this now for years with great success this year has just been weird

 

[GunnyBun]

Have you done eggtopsies to see what's going on inside the egg? Humidity being too high is a common cause for late quitters.

I usually keep it between 30-40% during the incubation process, and being honest I usually forget to up the humidity come hatch time so it’s not that problem

 

[GunnyBun]

Have you done eggtopsies to see what's going on inside the egg? Humidity being too high is a common cause for late quitters.

A lot of time I do and I really don’t know what I’m looking for Sometimes I can tell that it’s bacterial but other times they look perfectly fine

 

[GunnyBun]

Well, it could be the exact opposite then. Humidity being too low can cause issues too. It's hard to say without knowing what you're seeing in the egg when they don't hatch on the last day though. Are they pipping and then quitting?

Could possibly be that but it’s never affected the hatch in the past. It’s kind of a 50-50 thing with the pips. Some do and some don’t.