12 fully developed, dead in shell

[bre113]

I opened my eggs today. 12 were fully developed, several had pecked through the membrane but not pipped through the shell. They had a layer of jelly like substance over them...? One chick was very deformed. Hydro/anocepholy (complete brain exposed, only one eye, beak messed up) and one chick was still alive, but not completely developed...? What did I do wrong? I had 12 hatch, 9 of which lived, 14 with chicks that did not hatch, and 11 undeveloped.

 

[Twistedfeather]

If you continue to breed there is a book that might help you find out. This sounds like omphalitis (Mushy Chick Disease) Horrible name but this might be something to look into. What breed did you get? There are some chickens that are known to have lethal genes. If you know what breed your bird is look up lethal genes for let's say a Japenese Bantam (Creeper Gene). How closely related were the parents? Inbreeding is not the ideal way in my perspective.

 

[bre113]

We have Rhode Island reds. We got the hens from tractor supply earlier this year, as chicks. We got the rooster from a friend, so no relation. The chicks were firm, they just had the jelly like substance over their face. My first thought was the humidity possibly being to high, as we have a styrofoam incubator, and nothing to measure humidity. Some of the chicks actually appear to be too large, as I had several with nearly no airsac.

 

[AmericanMom]

We have Rhode Island reds. We got the hens from tractor supply earlier this year, as chicks. We got the rooster from a friend, so no relation. The chicks were firm, they just had the jelly like substance over their face. My first thought was the humidity possibly being to high, as we have a styrofoam incubator, and nothing to measure humidity. Some of the chicks actually appear to be too large, as I had several with nearly no airsac.

Your first instinct is probably right.... I don't measure humidity in my bator, but I run dry incubation... If your up to it, do a test hatch using that method and see what happens.

 

[bre113]

Can you explain dry hatching? As I've got another set fixing to go in, and I may try it with them.

 

[AmericanMom]

Can you explain dry hatching? As I've got another set fixing to go in, and I may try it with them.

Depending on where you live it may or may not work, I live in Oregon and my ambient humidity stays around 50% I add not one drop of water the first 18 days of incubation, I do not monitor the humidity within the incubator instead I keep track of the air cells of the eggs.. On day 18 I cut a small sponge in three strips, wet those and add that to the incubator. I do not put water in the reservoir
I was having a lot of problems with my hatches similar to yours when I decided to do this. I am on day 17 right now. My last two hatches were the best ever, 98% and 100% of those that made it to lockdown (quitters and clears removed)
Of course it may not work for everyone, but if your hatches are less than what they could be and its obvious humidity may be an issue I would suggest trying it, Here is the link to a very good article
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-incubate-hatch-eggs-using-the-dry-incubation-method

 

[bre113]

Thank you so much. I live in SC... Very humid! Average humidity today at 80%. I'll definitely try that this time! Thanks!

 

[bre113]

"This causes the chick to grow too large inside the egg. The chick will pip the shell on day 21 and never go any farther. Or they wont pip at all because they puncture the internal membrane of the egg and there they are met with a gush of water, causing them to drown. Have you ever wondered why this happens? I sure did."
Definitely sounds like what happened!!

 

[AmericanMom]

"This causes the chick to grow too large inside the egg. The chick will pip the shell on day 21 and never go any farther. Or they wont pip at all because they puncture the internal membrane of the egg and there they are met with a gush of water, causing them to drown. Have you ever wondered why this happens? I sure did."
Definitely sounds like what happened!!

I was having a lot of the same issues... I cannot say it will work, but I can say you wont know if you don't try ....

 

[DaveOmak]

I opened my eggs today. 12 were fully developed, several had pecked through the membrane but not pipped through the shell. They had a layer of jelly like substance over them...? One chick was very deformed. Hydro/anocepholy (complete brain exposed, only one eye, beak messed up) and one chick was still alive, but not completely developed...? What did I do wrong? I had 12 hatch, 9 of which lived, 14 with chicks that did not hatch, and 11 undeveloped.

http://www.lamolina.edu.pe/zootecnia/biblioteca2012/NRC Poultry 1994[1].pdf


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