Troubleshooting low hatch rates - advice welcome

[LadiesAndJane]

Agree! I was able to hatch a few wild chicken eggs several years ago from a homemade Styrofoam incubator that my 10-year-old daughter and I made at the time! Sometimes too much information is a bad thing…

 

[Punkybrewster]

I went to petco reptile section and bought a nice one that adheres with velcro to the inside of my brinsea mini. Calibrate it first.

 

[TheBanditQueen]

Thanks Punky! Feed and protein is something I am still learning about. They were actually getting a little over 20% protein the last few months, though. (Can too high of % protein cause fertility issues as well?)

I live hours from nowhere (fortunately or unfortunately depending how you look at it), so I have to look online for anything even slightly out of the ordinary like a hygrometer, as our feed store doesn't carry a whole lot. :/ Velcro sounds like an excellent idea. I was picturing having to jam it in amongst the eggs.

And...off topic, but...wild chickens?? Please tell!!!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Thanks Punky! Feed and protein is something I am still learning about. They were actually getting a little over 20% protein the last few months, though. (Can too high of % protein cause fertility issues as well?)

I live hours from nowhere (fortunately or unfortunately depending how you look at it), so I have to look online for anything even slightly out of the ordinary like a hygrometer, as our feed store doesn't carry a whole lot. :/ Velcro sounds like an excellent idea. I was picturing having to jam it in amongst the eggs.

And...off topic, but...wild chickens?? Please tell!!!

I live in Hawaii, we have tons of them running around. They are on the smaller side, mix between feral chickens and game fowl brought over decades ago from Indonesia I believe. Some of the roosters are just gorgeous! Never have to worry about neighbors complaining about chickens making noise, it's just considered part of the scenery! We also live in a rural area.
A few years ago, a wild hen decided to lay an egg every day in the bed of my husband's truck while it was parked when he was at work. He brought them home and was planning to eat them, but our daughter really wanted to try and hatch them. So we did!
I also have to have most things sent in the mail. Local store only carries so much.
I have been blessed to be able to work from home during these crazy times, so I thought it was a good time to obsess over trying to hatch some chicks of the breeds I wanted.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

This is what I have. Got it on amazon, like most things!

 

[TheBanditQueen]

That is amazing and seriously made my day. Feral chickens!! Do they have predators?

Thanks for the recommendation! I will go look that up!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

That is amazing and seriously made my day. Feral chickens!! Do they have predators?

Thanks for the recommendation! I will go look that up!

Yes people will catch them and eat them I have seen that! Feral cats and random dogs will eat them especially the chicks. Many people let their dogs just wander around (including one of our neighbors… )Annoying when they poop in our yard! The chicks are known as “kitty snacks” and mongoose will eat the eggs and chicks.
Since they don’t belong to anyone and they are not protected anything goes!

 

[TheBanditQueen]

I am amazed they are able to survive at all, I did not think chickens could go feral!

 

[TheBanditQueen]

Update on latest hatch! Hygrometer and candler didn't arrive in time, so I couldn't double check humidity or candle the eggs beforehand.

2 healthy nuggets hatched on Saturday. Then 1 hatched yesterday but was a runt and only lived a few hours.

I did look inside the other 4 eggs. There was only liquid, no apparent development. So maybe not fertile.

As it turns out, I actually inherited a second rooster recently. I guess that will be a good way to test if my Polish rooster might be shooting blanks.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Congratulations on your littles! Sorry for your losses. 10 of 15 silkies have hatched last night/this morning, 4 more have pipped. 2 of my marans have pipped! First time incubating shipped eggs.