1st time hatching eggs - been 23 days and no chicks

[Blondegrannie]

It is our 1st time hatching eggs in our incubator (has an automatic turner), kept the temperature at 99.8, humidity level at 50-55%. it has been 23 days. My husband and I took one egg broke it open very carefully and as soon as the shell cracked we saw movement. Grossed me out. After getting the chick out of the shell, it was breathing but the intestines were on the outside of the little chick, had to dispose of the little chick. Any help as to what could have went wrong. We are going to wait for a few more days before we dispose of the rest of eggs. We do have our own hens and roasters (bardrocks?) they are about 1 year old. Please help!!!!!!!

 

[WalnutHill]

Are you sure it was intestines, or just unabsorbed yolk and umbilicus?

It sounds like your temps may have been lower than you thought. I trusted an inaccurate thermometer when I started incubating, and had the same kind of issue. I thought the chick may have been stuck, but it just wasn't ready to hatch. Then I found I was at the low end of the survival limits for incubation.

With accurate thermometers and thermostats, my hatches are now on time with healthy, happy chicks.

 

[Blondegrannie]

It was the intestines...

 

[Blondegrannie]

Thanks... We did use the thermometer that came with the incubator. We will get a new one and what about the humidity level?

 

[HickoryHollow]

It was the intestines...

What you saw, would have been absorbed into the chick with the yoke as it pipped and hatched. You were just to quick on the eggtopsie.

 

[Farmer Viola]

I would candle the remaining eggs using a flashlight in a dark room, to look for movement. if there is movement, I would put them back in the incubator. even at a lower temperature they can still hatch, just takes longer to "cook"

I would toss any that look "clear" since they are probably dead

 

[Blondegrannie]

I did try to candle a couple of the eggs and I could not see through them. Does it matter that they are brown eggs for the candeling? We are going to wait until the weekend to see what happens. Do you thing we should wait longer than that? Thanks.....