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RPoultry · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:40 pm **Posts:** 933

Why is it that servere thunder storms can kill developing chicks in the eggs??
I post as i recently lost 10 CINNAMON GUINEAFOWL, chicks that were half developed in the eggs and then we had a very violent thiunder storm and all the chicks were dead in shell on cracking them open (a week and a 1/2 later) and were rotting and looked at be the stage they were at when the storm hit!!
ANY ideas ANYone??

Roova · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:46 pm

Were they in an incubator or under a broody?

How long after the thunder until you determined the chicks had stopped developing? Did you candle directly before and after the storm to know for sure it was the storm?

I must admit, I would be very surprised if thunder killed chicks in eggs. I know it can sometimes scare broodies off their eggs but thats the worst I've heard it could do.

Either way, Im sorry to hear you didn't have a good hatch.

I wish you better luck next time.

RPoultry · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:40 pm **Posts:** 933

Were they in an incubator or under a broody?
under a broodie

How long after the thunder until you determined the chicks had stopped developing?
4 days

Did you candle directly before and after the storm to know for sure it was the storm?
Yes i candled them the day before and they were moving about and kicking and everything, the day after the storm i was woried that maybe it had interfered with the babies so i candled and there was no movment :cry:

I must admit, I would be very surprised if thunder killed chicks in eggs. I know it can sometimes scare broodies off their eggs but thats the worst I've heard it could do.
i asked as my gran said that thunder storms can interupt with the developing babies so i came straight to the souce of info and asked you guys

Either way, Im sorry to hear you didn't have a good hatch.

I wish you better luck next time
thanks

lookychooky · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2011 10:54 am **Posts:** 6

So are they more vulnerable in an incubator?

Rhode Red · **Posted:** Tue Mar 01, 2011 8:01 am

As long as I can remember, not scientific proof, I was always told Thunder and eggs incubating dont mix. Past history for me is if there is a bad thunder storm and the eggs have only been set for less than 2 weeks, the hatch is generally reduced or none hatch.

E.g Turkey hen self set (hatch 1) 11 eggs, hatched 10 healthy poults. No storms at time, Hatch 2 set self set again (after 10 weeks) on 11 eggs (over christmas time i.e storms in QLD) hatched 3. Now it may have been that time of year, who knows. This was not her first year. She is about 4years old and generally gets about 10 out on every hatch like a machine.

Rhode Red

mummaroo · **Posted:** Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:33 am

Hi Zach,
I have always told people that Electrical thunderstorms can kill chicks in eggs.My grandfather who was a well known breeder on the coast always told me this and to insulate the hen and eggs from the ground with a sheet of flat rubber or old tyres.

Quote:

As long as I can remember, not scientific proof, I was always told Thunder and eggs incubating dont mix.

There is no scientific proof,that is right.(I have been told by many it is an old wives tale)I have never had trouble with eggs in an incubator and thunder storms or electrical storms though and we get a lot of dry storms here.My grandfather did not believe in wives tales and always when I helped him with his birds and we had a broody he would say use rubber.
Over the years I have said this to people on hear and another notice board and I have been talked down badly.I don,t bother now unless someone else has found what grandad drummed into me as being true.I usually just mention the rubber and let it go.

Quote:

It does become confusing!!!!
With electrical storms it holds the charge in the air & around the ground, not exactly sure about the sciences of it all.
But if we had a broody in a nest box, we would drive a piece of steel into the ground, touching the nest, it acted as an earth.
At the same time as doing this, I had a nest with out the steel spike.

They were all died
Old wives tail or not I don't know.I do know this though.If I don't use rubber in the summer and Autumn I don't have success with broody hens if we have electrical storms

RPoultry · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:40 pm **Posts:** 933

Thankyou for that info, like i said my gran grew up on a farm and has always told me that eggs and severe storms don't mix :-D

Morgan · **Posted:** Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:30 am

Maybe the thunder shakes the ground like an earth quake and it stuffs up the eggs

RPoultry · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:40 pm **Posts:** 933

its a possibility

Morgan · **Posted:** Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:41 pm

Well cant think of any other reason

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