So frustrated!

[ChikenChik]

I am in the middle of my natural broody hatch(started this morning day 20) starting with 11 eggs...5 chicks hatched(yay)...3 pipped external and I can hear peeping. 1 yolker, 1 dead chick found outside of nest at day 17 and 1 no action just sitting there. The last 3 (yolker, dead chick, and last egg with no action) are all from the same hen who is my FAVORITE!!! Also the eggs I tried in the incubator from her didn't hatch. She is 3 years old but still lays a few times a week. Is she just too old to get a chick from? It is only the end of day 20 so there is still hope but I am frustrated. Is there any special food I could give her to help fertility and chick health? She free ranges a lot of the day and has access to layer feed and grower/finisher.

 

[Top Rooster]

To increase her fertility separate her from the flock and put her with a rooster and maybe another hen or two so she doesn’t get overwhelmed. That’ll make sure they have they’re special time because he may be favoring other hens and neglecting her for mating.

 

[song of joy]

3-years old is not too old to expect viable chicks. I've hatched eggs from three different 3- and 4-year old hens in my flock, and I'm seeing 83 to 100% fertility rates, and 67 to 100% hatch rates, depending on the hen and particular clutch.

From what you're describing, it sounds like the fertility rate is good but you're concerned about the hatch rate from the older hen. To increase hatch rate it's important that the egg include high-quality nutrients for the developing embryo. I typically put hens on a breeder diet 2 to 3 weeks before I begin collecting their eggs for hatching. I give them an organic, non GMO chick starter-grower feed with at least 18% protein. I supplement this with mashed, scrambled eggs every couple of days as a natural vitamin, mineral and protein supplement, and also provide crushed oyster shell for extra calcium.

 

[ChikenChik]

3-years old is not too old to expect viable chicks. I've hatched eggs from three different 3- and 4-year old hens in my flock, and I'm seeing 83 to 100% fertility rates, and 67 to 100% hatch rates, depending on the hen and particular clutch.

From what you're describing, it sounds like the fertility rate is good but you're concerned about the hatch rate from the older hen. To increase hatch rate it's important that the egg include high-quality nutrients for the developing embryo. I typically put hens on a breeder diet 2 to 3 weeks before I begin collecting their eggs for hatching. I give them an organic, non GMO chick starter-grower feed with at least 18% protein. I supplement this with mashed, scrambled eggs every couple of days as a natural vitamin, mineral and protein supplement, and also provide crushed oyster shell for extra calcium.

ok thank you! I will try the better feed. I do have oyster feed and feed dirty eggs back to the girls scrambled. I will make sure she gets extra before i try gain. It may just be bad luck. She is actually one of my roosters favorites and yeah the fertility rate is pretty good all but 1 of 6 were fertilized but none made it to hatch. Well unless the last one does. Like I said it is not too late! We have 7 hatched now and one is pipped and moving lots. I can see the little beak working on the hole! I MAY have heard something from that last egg but it is hard to tell with the others peeping so much!

 

[ChikenChik]

To increase her fertility separate her from the flock and put her with a rooster and maybe another hen or two so she doesn’t get overwhelmed. That’ll make sure they have they’re special time because he may be favoring other hens and neglecting her for mating.

nope he is one of her favorites...they definitely get their special time! lol She is docile and squats easy so he is always going after her.