aargh, frustrating...too big for egg?

[klf73]

I have been hatching quite a few ameraucana eggs lately, all shipped. I have tossed a few fully developed, yolk absorbed chicks that just look like they were too big to move enough to pip! I don't know why, the eggs are average ameraucana size(maybe a LITTLE small) and it is getting annoying. I was pipping my eggs since I needed to reset another batch and had one that died and one that was still breathing but I wasn't sure it would make it. I released the top of it(there was no blood in the veins) and left it. It is fine now and I can't even tell which one it was. It is the same size as the other chicks, his egg was just a little smaller and a narrower. I just pipped a second batch and had the same thing, one dead taking up almost the whole air cell and another that is big, didn't pip yet but still had some blood in the veins so I just covered with a damp paper towel. Anyone else having a lot of chicks that just seem too big to hatch or is it just me?

we won't even get into my "special" eggs I have been trying to hatch, my newest batch now has their own bator

 

[saladin]

I don't really understand your question. Also, what do you mean that you 'pipped' a batch?? It is the chicks that pip not the keeper. Just confused by the way you worded your post, but would like to help. saladin

 

[klf73]

what I was referring to was I made a small hole in the air cell to check on the chick.....
my question was....was anyone experiencing chick loss due to the chick being to big to hatch?

 

[rarebreedeggs4u]

Quote:
Yes and no. I have some Silkies that seem to have too vaulted of a head to be able to properly pip and hatch occasionally.

 

[saladin]

oh, you did pip them! Now I understand your question; unfortunately, I am unable to help as I have not had this problem. saladin

 

[HBuehler]

I had that problem last year more often than I wanted(never)..then went to dry incubation and now my hatch rates are 90% and better...hatching a bator every week now.Just hatched some true Ameraucana's this way from smaller eggs-not pullet but not yet full sized...all hatched.It may be something you want to try on a batch and see if it helps you.

 

[klf73]

actually I did dry incubate. I started doing it over a year ago and have had great success (except for one breed that I can't get to hatch and has WAY too much fluid loss). Just seem to be losing some that seem perfectly fine, just big