[exmoorlady]

We have just successfully hatched 21 eggs but we are still having problems all of our 'special' eggs failed at the last hurdle. The Buffs Indian game and Light sussex bantams all failed to hatch. We disinfect thoroughly between hatchings and we clean all the eggs. We candle at 1 and 2 weeks and we seemed to keep the temperature and humidity correct what are we doing wrong?

[shetlandpaul]

Were did you source the eggs. If you had a successful hatch with you others it sounds like the eggs are at fault.

[exmoorlady]

They are all our own eggs we collect them every day turn them till they go in the incubator and none of them are older than 10 days we also only use clean eggs.

[shetlandpaul]

odd. how old are the girls and has the cock/s proved fertile in the past. were they just restarting laying

We tried an experiment to see how storage effected success we used cross hyline Shetland eggs we used a dozen in the traditional point down in the living room. 1/2 dozen from the fridge and the same from a warm window sill next to the cooker. we had 3 unfertilised and four failed. most were from the standard storage. the fridge ones all hatched. 

[exmoorlady]

The buff hen is about 2 yrs the cockeral is last years the indian game hens are last years and the cockerel is very fertile as we have used him on our welsommers. Have set a new batch today fingers croosed we'll see what the next 3 weeks bring.

[shetlandpaul]

They are all our own eggs we collect them every day turn them till they go in the incubator and none of them are older than 10 days we also only use clean eggs.

try not turning them and i would keep it to less than a week. if it still carries on get someone to put a couple in there incubator. worth checking to see if the germ cell is present that would confirm he is fertile. Its annoying waiting 3 weeks for nothing to happen. good luck

[shetlandpaul]

Just had the worst hatch rate for eggs. of 40 eggs we have 7 live one thats very iffy. 2 dead in the shell and the rest were clear. of the two live ones two bantam eggs from the fridge. The rest from ebay 4 cochins formed chicks none from the aracunas and none from the shetland hens and 4 from 12 light sussexs.