Incubation Troubleshooting
Malformed chicks in poor hatch.
| Probable Cause | Suggested Corrective Measure |
| Eggs held too long before setting, even under
good conditions, or eggs held any length of time at improper levels
of temperature and/or humidity.
|
Try not to hold eggs more than ten days if at
all possible, and then only if holding conditions are ideal.
|
| Eggs chilled before setting.
|
Gather eggs quickly, cool properly before casing,
and hold under proper conditions.
|
| Improper turning or setting.
|
Set eggs small end down only, in the incubator.
Turn eggs hourly, or, at least, at regular intervals eight times daily.
Be sure you do not trap eggs large end down on transfer.
|
| Inadequate ventilation.
|
Provide adequate ventilation of the incubator
and hatcher rooms and proper openings of the incubator and hatcher
ventilators. Do not recirculate foul air. Supply 100 percent fresh,
tempered air.
|
| Abnormally high or abnormally low incubator temperature
|
Maintain proper temperature levels throughout
the incubation and hatching cycle.
|
| Insufficient moisture.
|
Maintain proper humidity levels throughout the
incubation and hatching cycle.
|
| Diseases, contamination, toxic food, or improper
nutrition whenever crippled or malformed chicks are encountered.
|
Use breeder houses and equipment of proper design
and in good operating condition. Employ good poultry house ventilation.
Observe proper flock management and sanitation practices. Avoid wet
spots. Gather eggs frequently. Fumigate or otherwise sanitize eggs
before setting in incubator and after transfer to hatcher. Set only
clean, uncracked eggs.
|
| Nonporous shell, either from natural causes involved
in heredity and nutrition, or from foreign material on the shell.
|
Careful culling and flock selection, properly
balanced feed or high quality, proper care of eggs.
|
| Damage to eggs in shipment caused by jarring
or shipping large end down.
|
Hatching eggs must be shipped in good quality, well-protected egg cases, or equivalent, with small end down. Avoid rough handling. |