What's wrong with their feathers?

[HorseFeatherz NV]

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Thank you for this bit of info. My hatches are normally 35% also, so I will bump it up for this hatch.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Thank you for this bit of info. My hatches are normally 35% also, so I will bump it up for this hatch.

Just FYI .... On the 3 I hatched, I kept it at 35% and up to 65% for the hatch.

 

[alicefelldown]

Out of the 10 eggs Jubaby sent, 8 went into the 'bator on February 4th and as of last night (day 10), the results are:

Humidity has been averaging 35% (while fluctuating between 30% and 40% of course)

 

[pips&peeps]

One thing I see on your chart Alice, that could cause low fertility, is the age of the eggs. The first three are really pushing the freshness level by the time you set them.

I never ship eggs over four days old, but I do understand the breeder flock is pretty small at this point.

I run my humidity between 40-50% the first 18 days and bump it up to around 60% the last three.

 

[alicefelldown]

Yea, the age of the eggs is part of my concern as well. Kathy and Patty, do you know the laid dates of the ones you were able to hatch?

 

[onthespot]

No, I'm not much of a statistician. I just do my best and let 'em rip. I figure age of eggs is irrellevant. It will either hatch or it won't. If it was an older egg, I would never be setting my own eggs that were older, so if I can just get the one chick to breeding age and cross it on something, I will be setting all fresh eggs. THEN i would start keeping track. If they can't hatch after five or six days old, I'd make a note of it and make it known to buyers. I wouldn't quit trying. I'd cross them on different birds until I could get better hatch and shipability characteristics. The ones I have now ship VERY well, so I have no worries there. Time will tell, in any case. I don't even know if it is a roo or a hen, or if it won't drown itself in a thimble of water or stub its toe and die of warts befrore it is three months old. LOL. Chickens!!!

 

[pips&peeps]

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Isn't that what always happens to those special ones.....

 

[onthespot]

yes... the special ones do tend to be "special" do they not?

 

[Jubaby]

So far only onthespot, and kathyinmo have had eggs long enough to hatch. alicefelldown is currently hatching a batch, and I have shipped recently to upintheholler and rustyswoman. That's all that have gone out so far. I have a few more going out in the next few weeks.

I am anxious to see how the hatching goes, please keep us updated on your hatch rates.

I realize the age of the eggs is cutting it close. I am only getting 1-3 eggs per day. I am shipping every Monday and am sending out 9-12 of the freshest eggs I have, but some of those eggs are around 5-6 days old. I just figure sending them might give a few extra chances of hatching.

I have hatched 3 batches of eggs:

The first set I got 6 of 6 eggs hatched with a broody hen, one chick died at two days. Mother Nature always seems to work best!

The second hatch, I had major temp and humidity problems, and 0 hatched, but I wasn't surprised. Feel like that was my own fault!

The third hatch, I hatched 4 of 6 eggs. I still was having some temp and humidity problems, but was much more closely monitored.

I have a new incubator (RCOM20) that I'm going to try, but was waiting for eggs from onthespot next week. Then I was going to add some of my own eggs. Hoping the new incubator will work better for me.

I have never shipped live chicks or adult chickens, but if others cannot hatch the eggs successfully, I may have to look into it. We'll see.

 

[pips&peeps]

I need to make an apology, I had my facts incorrect. The following statement was untrue.

Anissa also bought BBS ameraucana hatching eggs from "Red Wattle" (formerly Iwans Poultry) on 5/2007, two batches of them on 6/2008 and again on 3/2009.

The transaction was the opposite way around Anissa sold the eggs. So these birds in fact, came from the original line Anissa bought from a "Pat" lady in TX.​