2 x Awful Hatches

[JenWillo]

Hi

I’m new to the whole egg hatching thing and I am going badly wrong somewhere (or everywhere!).

Firstly I buy eggs from local breeder so no shipping involved. I have a fan incubator (not sure of brand but digital and automatic turning etc). I have checked temps with another thermometer and they’re potentially cold by 0.5 degrees

First hatch was Orpington’s. We had the temps too high in a rubbish incubator and only 3 made it to lockdown. We had 1 hatch and I had to help because it took 3 days and didn’t unzip. That little chick is now doing well.

2nd hatch was 12 cream legbars start to finish in our new incubator. 6 went into lockdown and 1 hatched right on schedule. Pip at day 20 and unzip the day after. Another one pipped but then stopped and died. There was movement in the other eggs but no pipping and no movement on day 24 with candling.

humidity was 40% during incubation (in UK) and 70% in lockdown.

Keen to have 1 more try this year with a full incubator so any and all suggestions as to where I’m going wrong are appreciated.

 

[orloffer]

I am sorry the hatches didn't go well for you! I am not an expert with incubation, but hopefully someone with more knowledge will come along shortly.

 

[Kiraeh]

How is your ventilation? That and humidity are common culprits for late quitters. 0.5 degrees is not ideal but shouldn't cause hatches that bad on its own.
The eggs that didn't make it to lockdown, did they develop at all? Did they mostly quit in the first/second/third week?

 

[JenWillo]

They were either clears or early quitters. One quit just before lockdown.

The incubator doesn’t have air vents or anything but has holes instead. It does have a fan and it’s in a room where we have the door open most of the day.