Why Aren't They Hatching?

chloedancer

Hatching
8 Years
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Points
7
A little background: I have an LG still air. I have always had great hatches with it. I am able to keep it in a very stable area. I do not have to much temp flucuation. I incubate at 101.5 at the top of the eggs with a spot check thermometer. I keep the humidity at 35% the first 18 days then up it to 55-60% for lockdown. I turn the eggs 3 times a day by hand. My hatchs have been 85% and up.

Now to my question. I have searched the forum for the past couple of days trying to find an answer. I was unsuccessful so now I'm asking. I am hatching my own sex-links. They are a Marans/Barred Rock cross. These are my own eggs so they haven't been shipped. Well the males hatch just fine but the females always pip internally and then die before hatching. I never get an external pip with them. They are always fully formed and youlks are absorbed.

Why just the females? Like I said the males have no issues hatching. I have hatched over 18 males now and not a single female cause they ALL die.
 
Well, if I were you I'd buy a new incubator...

But since I'm not you, next hatch I'd try lowering the temp a tad and upping the humidity at lockdown to 70%

See if that works for you.
 
Because of your problem with being only the males that hatch could it be a genetic problem that they just aren't strong enough?? Have you hatched from these hen/roo combos before?? THAT is wild. It makes me think that the females are just too weak.
 
Thanks to both of you! You both have confirmed what I was thinking.

I am ordering a Genesis 1588 next week. In the hopes that it is my incubator. I'll set more eggs when I get it.

I haven't hatched from this pairing before. I only have one Barred Rock hen and she is in with one roo. I will switch the roo with another and in 3 weeks try incubating again. I have not had an issue with any of my Black Coppers which leads me to believe it may be the hen causing the issues.

It just kills me with the amount of pullets I have lost.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom