The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Breeding
Fertility and hatching rates
Susan Mouw:
I know we've been having some strange weather this year and many parts of the country are still buried in snow, but I'm in SC and I can't explain what is happening.
Usually, by this time, I am getting 80% fertility and 80-100% hatch rates of those fertile eggs. Right now, I am getting, with the exception of one blue x blue pen, around 50% fertility and only 50% of those are hatching.
Anyone else have hatching/fertility issues in the south? Or anyone have any ideas of what might be going wrong?
One of the really strange things is in pen #2. That is Solomon's pen (my first Gr CH). He has 4 black hens and one splash hen (I wanted to improve type in my blue lines - Solomon was a good choice for that). The eggs from the black hens are about 50% fertile, but not a one are hatching. But I'm getting about 4-5 blue chicks every week - so near, if not exactly, 100% fertility from the splash hen.
I just can't figure it out - running the same temps (right at 100.) and humidity (40% in incubator, 55-60% in the hatcher)
Any ideas?
Don:
It may just take some time, how long have they been together? If you've had the males separated they may take longer. I'm sure you're using vitamins and other supplements?
Do you have a humidity reader you can move between the incubators and hatches to compare? Sometimes individual ones will read differently.
Susan Mouw:
The breeding pens, with one exception, have been set up since January. I did change feeds this year, but otherwise using the same "formula" that has worked for me in the past.
Don:
Is there animal protein in the feed or just soy for protein in your new feed? I know you use cat food too? Jeff had a routine to feed treats/supplements similar to what Paul was proposing for this year. Use as many various supplements as you can find, meat scrapes and egg food with plenty of green food too. Alfalfa, clover, ours love honeysuckle that's growing like crazy around here right now. The more varied the diet the better.
I don't know what our ambient humidity is running right now, but it's always drier inside our homes. It's difficult for us to keep the humidity up in the drier winter months. And once you start using the A/C the house is still drier.
Lisa Helms:
This post is a little late. However, I have had 100% fertility from two pens since February and it continues today. I am just going to say I am really lucky.
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