What is a normal hatch rate ?

[SportTees]

I'm wondering what type of hatch rates people are getting now ? I've heard allot of people say you don't get good hatch rates in colder weather. My sis got a zero rate when she tryed last month but last year with the same roo she was getting a 99% . Just curious if the weather has something to do with it.

 

[Chickapooh23]

This is my first hatch of my own eggs. I have 12 for 12 fertility but eggs aren't due until Sunday so I don't know actual hatch. Seems like a lot of eggs are hatching when you read the post. It might be that her eggs are getting too cold. It has been freezing here this year. I was going out every hour to collect eggs to make sure they didn't freeze to set this bunch.

 

[dave27889]

It also depends if your eggs are shipped to you. I picked up some local eggs and they did about 85% except for one group which I don't think they were fertile. Those 6 were all no good. The ones I had shipped were at a rate of about 70%. Out of the group that were shipped one group of 18 were mishandled at the post office and they wer about 50% for just that group of 18. I had a total of about 78 eggs in this batch.
The next group of eggs I am hatching out Feb. 27th is all shipped except for 5 of my own eggs. There are 25 eggs in this batch total. Both of these batches are dark eggs and I need a better way to candel them. I have been using a very strong flashlight. I am building a better candeling device tomorrow.
I have a third batch of 12 eggs that I am hatching. They are all shipped except 2 of them. This incubator is a test type incubator. It is a styrofoam cooler type like the other two but it is a still air type and It uses a hotwaterheater thermostat to control the tempature. Several people at BYC have used this type incubator and I thought I would try it. I have EE eggs in it only. I am looking forward to seeing how this one works or doesn't work.
Humidity has been pretty constant in all three type incubators. I will say it is diffucult to maintain the humidity in these type incubators in my climate. Eastern NC weather changes daily. I know with my last hatch the humidity was going great until we opened the top to remove two chicks that were having a really hard time after 24 hours. The humidity sank like a rock and we had to put a wet t shirt in the incubator to keep it around 75%. I have since put in three trays and more sponges. I will be testing this one out starting Feb.24th. I will be doing Black Copper Marans, cuckoo Marans, Welsummers and some EE's shipped from all over the USA.
Didn't mean to write a book. later, dave27889

 

[Snakeoil]

Boy thats a tough question, there are many variables to consider.
Are you talking about chicken eggs or quail, etc. I get a better hatch percentage with chickens than with all other birds I have. My last hatch was 93% but sometimes I get around 50%. Your hen to rooster ratio influnces the rate aside from all the incubator variables, at what temperature were the eggs gathered and what temp were the eggs held at before placing in the bator, on and on.

 

[SportTees]

Has anyone noticed if there Is a difference in rate from eggs stored in refrigerator vs ones stored at exactly 55 deg?

 

[twigg]

Quote:
Under 90% and I want to know why

 

[hinkjc]

I've been hatching nonstop since November and no change here for fertility or hatchability. I don't think weather has anything to do with it, unless you don't collect the eggs often enough and the eggs freeze.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
That's funny! I can't hatch a chicken to save my life, but at least 75% of quail eggs that come here hatch!

 

[william9792]

i have a hatch rate of 95 to 100% all the time, i never cut my bators off even if i am not using them ( which is not often). if i have a hatch that i don't get at least 95% i want to know why, and i trace back the days and see what went wrong, but i use the same chickens for my eggs. and do not do shipped eggs that often. i have found that temp/humidty play a large roll in the process ( just have to find what works for you) william

 

[twigg]

Quote:
That's funny! I can't hatch a chicken to save my life, but at least 75% of quail eggs that come here hatch!

Then you need to find out why.

If quail eggs are hatching, but chickens not, then you are probably having trouble with humidity management.

It could be something as simple as the time of year. Whatever, it is a simple problem that shouldn't be too hard to fix.

If you are using a still air incubator, it could also be temperature related, quail eggs being much smaller than chickens.