Why Aren't My Eggs Hatching? Could the Breeding Birds Be Deficient in Something?

When people think about hatch failures, they usually look first at the incubator.

But successful hatching begins long before the eggs ever reach the incubator.

It begins with the nutrition of the breeding birds.

Feed for Breeders, Not For Table Eggs

As each breeding season approaches, breeding birds should be changed onto a Breeder Ration.

When buying feed, look for the word "BREEDER" on the bag.

This isn't just a marketing term.

Layer rations are formulated to produce eggs suitable for human consumption. They only need to meet the nutritional requirements of the laying hen and the egg she produces.

A breeder ration has a far more demanding job.

Everything needed to build a healthy chick—its organs, bones, muscles, skin and feathers—must already be present in the egg before incubation begins.

That requires a different nutritional balance.

Why Mixing Your Own Vitamins Can Be Risky

Many people try to improve fertility by adding vitamins to ordinary feed.

While well-intentioned, this can create new problems.

Breeder rations are carefully formulated so that vitamins, minerals and trace elements are present in the correct proportions.

Adding supplements "by eye" risks upsetting those balances and, in some cases, can even lead to excessive vitamin intake (vitaminosis).

More is not always better.

If You Can't Buy Breeder Rations

Some breeders have large flocks and buy bulk feed.

Others live in remote areas where breeder rations simply aren't available.

In those situations, a quality water-soluble breeder supplement can be an effective alternative.

If using one:

• Mix a fresh solution immediately before use.
• Prepare only enough for about 12 hours.
• Keep it out of direct sunlight.
• Prevent contamination with feed or droppings.
• Clean drinkers thoroughly to remove biofilm.
• Stainless steel, glass or glazed pottery are preferred. If plastic is used, opaque containers are best.

Remember that vitamins are fragile molecules.

Heat, ultraviolet light and contamination all reduce their effectiveness.

The Free-Range Myth

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is:

"My birds are free range, so they'll get everything they need naturally."

Nature tells us otherwise.

Wild birds breed only during relatively short periods when food variety and abundance are at their peak.

They also have the freedom to travel long distances selecting exactly what they require.

Our domestic poultry are very different.

Even when free ranging, they are usually confined to the same paddock every day, eating from a much more limited range of foods that changes with the seasons.

And, like small children, poultry eat their favourite foods first—not necessarily the foods they need most.

Why Start Six Weeks Before Breeding?

I recommend beginning a breeder ration or breeder supplement at least six weeks before collecting eggs for incubation.

People often assume this is simply to restore vitamin levels.

In reality, correcting mineral deficiencies is a much slower process.

Vitamins are organic compounds. They are continually used by the body and readily broken down.

Minerals are different.

As I often explain, asking the body to correct a mineral deficiency quickly is rather like asking it to absorb a rock. It simply takes time.

That is why preparation before the breeding season is so important.

Can Nutritional Deficiencies Be Recognised?

Sometimes, yes.

When opening failed eggs, certain abnormalities can point towards nutritional deficiencies in the breeding flock.

While not every hatch failure is nutritional, recognising these patterns can be an important part of troubleshooting.

The Takeaway

The incubator cannot replace what was never put into the egg.

If the breeding birds are not receiving the correct nutrition, no amount of adjusting temperature or humidity will correct deficiencies that were present before incubation even began.

Successful hatching starts with healthy breeders.

Written by Bob Peel, Greatlander