My last hatch was 2 dozen Birchen Marans eggs from MalapineFarm. They were big, beautiful, dark eggs and despite having to travel from WV to NM, of the ones that started to develop (about 12 out of the 24 + an extra 4) only 1 was a quitter and all but 4 made it all the way to the end and then either pipped and died or died before pipping.
I know what the problem was....ME, actually. I was messing with the humidity because we are SO incredibly dry here in the southwest that all of my previous hatches had trouble with being sticky at hatch.
I upped the humidity too much during the developmental days and they drowned at hatch, I am fairly positive.
Besides that, I noticed when I opened them up to do my egg-topsy that a few of them had deformed feet, they either had a partial outer toe or a completely missing outer toe.
I am wondering if it was from having the humidity too high during development.
The chicks that hatched were huge and gorgeous and are growing rapidly. They seem to be as healthy as can be. Does anyone out there know why or how this happens?
I plan to incubate some more of Malapinefarm's eggs next month, because they are some of the prettiest chicks I have ever hatched out.
Here is a pic of one of my babies:
And another pretty bird:
I know what the problem was....ME, actually. I was messing with the humidity because we are SO incredibly dry here in the southwest that all of my previous hatches had trouble with being sticky at hatch.
I upped the humidity too much during the developmental days and they drowned at hatch, I am fairly positive.
Besides that, I noticed when I opened them up to do my egg-topsy that a few of them had deformed feet, they either had a partial outer toe or a completely missing outer toe.
I am wondering if it was from having the humidity too high during development.
The chicks that hatched were huge and gorgeous and are growing rapidly. They seem to be as healthy as can be. Does anyone out there know why or how this happens?
I plan to incubate some more of Malapinefarm's eggs next month, because they are some of the prettiest chicks I have ever hatched out.
Here is a pic of one of my babies:

And another pretty bird:

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