They hatched in 5 weeks instead of 3?

[Sabz]

Hello!

I have a question on incubation time. I have leghorn layers and I had a cross-bred rooster (mixed layer and meat bird). I have incubated there eggs twice and both times they hatched on the 21st day.

This time, I made a big big mistake. I read that we weren't supposed to incubate the weirder eggs - too large, too round, too small.. but didn't quite know what would happen. So I decided to incubate a few double-yolk.

Well, that was a mistake because the incubator didn't close properly. The eggs were so large they kept it a little bit opened..

So on day 21st, no one hatched. A few days later I cracked a few eggs and they had not grown at all. Just yolks. I thought the temperature was so bad in the bator that they didn't even start to form a chick..

But, as I read here many times, I wasn't going to crack ALL the eggs and would give them a chance.

I left the bator plugged in and yesterday I got 3 little babies! BUT ITS 5 WEEKS TOTAL!

So.. what do you think happened? Did I maybe close the lid better on day 12th as example, and then some chickens started to form? Or did the lower temperature cause them to take longer to develop? I doubt this could be a possibility.

I know some breeds take longer or shorter incubation time, but since it was the third incubation with the same parents, I assumed it would be around 21 days.

That was a pleasant surprise anyhow

 

[Drewnkat]

Unless you had a temperature reading to go on, it would just be pure speculation.

It seems reasonable that the lower temperatures would cause delayed development.

Frankly, I am shocked that anything hatched at all under the circumstances you described.

 

[CascadiaRiver]

No idea how it happened but those 2 black darker chicks are boys btw ^^;

 

[Drewnkat]

No idea how it happened but those 2 black darker chicks are boys btw ^^;

What makes you say that?

He said the rooster is a mixed-breed. It was my understanding only very specific crosses could result in sex-linked coloring in chicks.

 

[junebuggena]

What makes you say that?

He said the rooster is a mixed-breed. It was my understanding only very specific crosses could result in sex-linked coloring in chicks.

Is your rooster barred?

 

[CascadiaRiver]

For the most part it could be the dark colour and Large white dots on the head, but the coms/beaks are in a 'manly eagle' form as I call it, I noticed all the males I have raised had that face, not one female had that look. Waiting for another 2 weeks could confirm for colours though ^^

 

[Sabz]

I feather sexed and thought I had one black female and one male!
I use the method where you look at the length and if the are all equal it's a male, if they varie it's a female.

The color doesn't have anything to do with the sex. Their moms are black So they could be female and black, with the kind of breed I have.

No, the rooster is not a barred - at least I think. My main language is french and when I google Barred it gived me the white / black color pattern and mine doesn't look like that at all.

Drewnkat, I was extremely surprised also. And even more that the chicks don't seem to have any development problems (well of course I can't speak for the internal organs but legs, wings, etc.. look fine).

 

[junebuggena]

Feather sexing only works if you cross a fast feathering hen with a slow feathering roo. It only works if you maintain the breeding populations for fast feathering and slow feathering strictly.

 

[Sabz]

Hum, I don't know.. it worked perfectly on the two last hatches with same parents so.. anyway, I don't mind the sex at all.

 

[Sabz]

And, it's easy to sex when they grow up also..