Winter egg hatching % WAY down

[mediazeal]

Last hatch: started with 26 eggs, 18 eggs in lockdown, 4 hatched
Current hatch: started with 20 eggs, 10 eggs in lcokdown, 1 hatched

So out of the last 46 eggs, I have gotten 5 chicks.
These are shipped eggs from very good breeders.

I opened a few of the 26 egg hatch that were clear on day 18 candling and some were scrambled, so PO was to blame for that. Some I opened in that group were not scrambled though. Just never did anything. But I'm having to toss half the eggs as clears late in the hatch and I've had a few weeping eggs.

Is anyone else having trouble with fertility and lower hatch rates?
I've always had at least 50% hatch rates with shipped eggs, sometimes better.

Just wondering if I'm in a bad patch or it's a winter thing.

 

[bigdawg]

i would hate to blame the egg suplier, but it could be do to the hens being close to molt or possible end of there laying cycle for the year. days are shorter, could even be a rooster has lost is spunk. i have 41 eggs due to hatch the 23rd all out of my hens that have slowed down on laying, so far all good, but its to early to tell. i have candled about half the eggs. good so far. if your in the north the eggs could have gotten to cold in shipping. maybe someone else has a better idea of whats going wrong..................

 

[mediazeal]

Quote:
Yeah, I'm not looking to blame anyone, just to try to understand why my hatch rate has been down so low.
Its expensive and a bummer.