Post by gayle on Sept 11, 2012 17:43:31 GMT -5
A while back I read an article from Gail Damerow on nutrition and hatching eggs. If eggs lack certain nutrient they may not hatch or the chick may die in the shell. We can't always blame the incubator. Here is a website on incubation and hatching which gives points on improving hatch rates.
gallus.tamu.edu/library/extpublications/b6092.pdf
It contains a chart which helps to determine if your eggs are nutrient deficient. It list the nutrient/vitamin and then the problem which will occur if the egg is lacking that nutrient/vitamin.
Appendix C: Signs of Deficiency in the Embryo
Nutrient: Deficiency Signs:
Vitamin A
Death at about 48 hours of incubation from failure to develop the circulatory system; abnormalities of kidneys, eyes and skeleton
Vitamin D
Death at about 18 or 19 days of incubation, with malpositions, soft bones, and with a defective
upper mandible prominent.
Vitamin E
Early death at about 84 to 96 hours of incubation, with hemorrhaging and circulatory failure
(implicated with selenium).
Vitamin K
No physical deformities from a simple deficiency, nor can they be provoked by antivitamins, but
mortality occurs between 18 days and hatching, with variable hemorrhaging.
Thiamin
High embryonic mortality during emergence but no obvious symptoms other than polyneuritis in
those that survive.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Mortality peaks at 60 hours, 14 days, and 20 days of incubation, with peaks prominent early as deficiency becomes severe. Altered limb and mandible development, dwarfism and clubbing of
down are defects expressed by embryo.
Niacin
Embryo readily synthesizes sufficient niacin from tryptophan. Various bone and beak malformations occur when certain antagonists are administered during incubation.
Biotin
High death rate at 19 days to 21 days of incubation, parrot beak, chondrodystrophy, several
skeletal deformities and webbing between the toes. Perosis.
Pantothenic acid
Deaths appear around 14 days of incubation, although marginal levels may delay problems until
emergence. Variable subcutaneous hemorrhaging and edema; wirey down in poults.
Pyridoxine
Early embryonic mortality based on antivitamin use.
Folic acid
Mortality at about 20 days of incubation. The dead generally appear normal, but many have bent tibiotarsus, syndactyly and mandible malformations. In poults, mortality at 26 days to 28
days of incubation with abnormalities of extremities and circulatory system.
Vitamin B12
Mortality at about 20 days of incubation, with atrophy of legs, edema, hemorrhaging, fatty
organs, and head between thighs malposition.
Manganese
Deaths peak prior to emergence. Chondrodystrophy, dwarfism, long bone shortening, head malformations, edema, and abnormal feathering are prominent. Perosis.
Zinc
Deaths prior to emergence, and the appearance of rumplessness, depletion of vertebral column,
eyes underdeveloped and limbs missing.
Copper
Deaths at early blood stage with no malformations.
Iodine
Prolongation of hatching time, reduced thyroid size, and incomplete abdominal closure.
Iron
Low hematocrit; low blood hemoglobin; poor extra-embryonic circulation in candled eggs.
Selenium
High incidence of dead embryos early in incubation.
gallus.tamu.edu/library/extpublications/b6092.pdf
It contains a chart which helps to determine if your eggs are nutrient deficient. It list the nutrient/vitamin and then the problem which will occur if the egg is lacking that nutrient/vitamin.
Appendix C: Signs of Deficiency in the Embryo
Nutrient: Deficiency Signs:
Vitamin A
Death at about 48 hours of incubation from failure to develop the circulatory system; abnormalities of kidneys, eyes and skeleton
Vitamin D
Death at about 18 or 19 days of incubation, with malpositions, soft bones, and with a defective
upper mandible prominent.
Vitamin E
Early death at about 84 to 96 hours of incubation, with hemorrhaging and circulatory failure
(implicated with selenium).
Vitamin K
No physical deformities from a simple deficiency, nor can they be provoked by antivitamins, but
mortality occurs between 18 days and hatching, with variable hemorrhaging.
Thiamin
High embryonic mortality during emergence but no obvious symptoms other than polyneuritis in
those that survive.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Mortality peaks at 60 hours, 14 days, and 20 days of incubation, with peaks prominent early as deficiency becomes severe. Altered limb and mandible development, dwarfism and clubbing of
down are defects expressed by embryo.
Niacin
Embryo readily synthesizes sufficient niacin from tryptophan. Various bone and beak malformations occur when certain antagonists are administered during incubation.
Biotin
High death rate at 19 days to 21 days of incubation, parrot beak, chondrodystrophy, several
skeletal deformities and webbing between the toes. Perosis.
Pantothenic acid
Deaths appear around 14 days of incubation, although marginal levels may delay problems until
emergence. Variable subcutaneous hemorrhaging and edema; wirey down in poults.
Pyridoxine
Early embryonic mortality based on antivitamin use.
Folic acid
Mortality at about 20 days of incubation. The dead generally appear normal, but many have bent tibiotarsus, syndactyly and mandible malformations. In poults, mortality at 26 days to 28
days of incubation with abnormalities of extremities and circulatory system.
Vitamin B12
Mortality at about 20 days of incubation, with atrophy of legs, edema, hemorrhaging, fatty
organs, and head between thighs malposition.
Manganese
Deaths peak prior to emergence. Chondrodystrophy, dwarfism, long bone shortening, head malformations, edema, and abnormal feathering are prominent. Perosis.
Zinc
Deaths prior to emergence, and the appearance of rumplessness, depletion of vertebral column,
eyes underdeveloped and limbs missing.
Copper
Deaths at early blood stage with no malformations.
Iodine
Prolongation of hatching time, reduced thyroid size, and incomplete abdominal closure.
Iron
Low hematocrit; low blood hemoglobin; poor extra-embryonic circulation in candled eggs.
Selenium
High incidence of dead embryos early in incubation.