[mentalmilly]

Need some advice on hatching orpington eggs in an incubator please.  This is the second lot l have hatched and they all have needed help because the membrane around the chicks dries out and they get stuck.  Humidity is high and l have tried to spray them to help, but compared to wellsummers in the other incubator who just pop out with no trouble, these poor orpingtons have trouble.  Is this normal for this breed?  Any info wellcome.  The eggs were 2 different lots not related .

[Victorian Farmer]

you havent done eney think wrong  firstly Whit is you re umidatey in the incubator room check if its over 50 percent  try a dry hatch. next if the ops are bred to close together they will be weak etc that could be it the times iv seen eggs not hatch first thing its my folt Whit if the breeder bought ops from a sale and they were brother to sister you need good eggs to start if you re eggs are related  get a cock bird far  away best of luck .

[mentalmilly]

Thanks l might try the dry hatch next time.  I was told that orpington eggs need humidity so thats what l did.  They are all OK and healthy, just found it hard to get out of the egg without help.  The eggs were ok parents not related, l think l need more experience with this breed.   

[Victorian Farmer]

I used to be a orpington man at that time we had some of the best rob boyds stock

[HesterF]

I think Orpingtons are hard to hatch. I had 18 under two broodies and only got five out. I did have them on metal floors (with bedding on top) which I'd overlooked as being a potential issue but even so, it was not a great hatch rate. I'm setting up my own breeding groups for next year so I'll have a bit more practice with both broodies and in the incubator but I think that's what it takes - practise.

H

[Victorian Farmer]

You are probley right iv had a spell that Whit ever you do is right. Then this happend a pen of silver lace wyndotts some one wonted chicks for a project. So got them laying 25 eggs no problem will get 20 out check out 5 days in. ? No think the eggs went fertile whits gone wrong and that happend with 3 pens for no reason. Then the highland show have a cock bird best in section haw meney chicks have you bred from him ans er none that's my luck this ya re.

[mentalmilly]

Hester did your eggs have a chick in that could not get out and thats why the hatch rate was poor?   My chicks, l think, would have died in the shell if l had not helped them out.  Compared to Wellsummer chicks the orps that survived are treated the same by the broody hen and they are shy and hesitant.  The Wells are lively inquisitive little chicks and so far outrun the orp chicks.  Think l will stick to Wellsummers.  Had a lot of success with them so far.

[HesterF]

To be honest, I've had all sorts of problems hatching this year - none of them (including ducklings) have just popped out without me helping so I was beginning to wonder whether I just intervene too quickly. If they've pipped, I help and have got out 100% of the ones who managed to pip. But unless they pip, I figure there's not much I could do.

With the Orps, most were fertile. I can't remember the exact figures but I think the broodies ate a couple and there were some infertile ones so I was realistically only expecting to hatch about 12 or 13 by the time they got to 21 days. But, yes, by that point only five made it out so it was about seven who got to full term but couldn't get out (and interestingly the buffs were the worst - I had six eggs of blue/splash, lavender and buff and ended up with three blue/splash, two lavenders and no buffs).

H

[mentalmilly]

Perhaps its a problem with orpingtons.  I didnt help until they piped but if l hadn,t they would not have made it.  This is the first time l tried orpingtons, dont think l will do it next time.

[HesterF]

Oh but they've lovely birds! Just buy them as POL - probably cheaper anyway!

H