All chicks were butt up in the egg

[DownByTheRiver]

I just had my first unsuccessful incubation of Marans eggs. The only chick born alive, pipped at the small end, and he died the next day. The rest of the eggs did not hatch and after 25 days, I opened them up, and all the chicks were dead, butt up in the large end and head down in the small end.

I let them settle for 48 hours in my 55 degree basement after they came in the mail, allowed them to come to room temp and put them in the incubator, large end up. I followed the instructions on doing a dry hatch because they are Marans eggs, only candled them twice, and turned them properly every day. I laid them on their sides on day 18 & went into lock down. We heard peeping from some of the eggs after the first one hatched, but never a pip.

Opinions? What did I do wrong?

 

[lazy gardener]

What was your humidity during the first 18 days? Did the air cells match the charts? If eggs were too "wet" the chick grows larger in the shell, and has a harder time turning.

I lay my eggs flat on day 14. This is when the chicks are getting into hatching position. By waiting till day 18, they may have positioned, but not been able to re-position when laid flat. I don't know what the current recommendation is regarding when to remove eggs from a turner (assuming you used a turner). But, regardless of the "they say" recommendation, I say that if chicks are positioning on day 14, it makes sense to have them in hatching position on day 14. After day 14, they may be too big to be able to turn in the egg.

 

[oregonkat]

This was your 'first unsuccessful incubation of Marans eggs', have you had successful hatches of this breed before? If so, are you using a different incubator? Do you have calibrated instruments that you are using along with those in your incubator?

 

[redranger209]

Marans are really finicky eggs. I’ve tried twice and both times had either crap rates or none at all.

 

[DownByTheRiver]

This was your 'first unsuccessful incubation of Marans eggs', have you had successful hatches of this breed before? If so, are you using a different incubator? Do you have calibrated instruments that you are using along with those in your incubator?

I should have written "first unsuccessful hatch, of Marans eggs". First time with Marans, Not a new incubator, yes, all properly calibrated, etc, etc

 

[DownByTheRiver]

@redranger209
That is a bummer. I'm very sad about these babies. Not trying again. I'm going to pick up some live Marans chicks today, from someone who can obviously hatch them.

 

[oregonkat]

I should have written "first unsuccessful hatch, of Marans eggs". First time with Marans, Not a new incubator, yes, all properly calibrated, etc, etc

I have found that with my Marans eggs the best humidity is between 35 - 40% till day 18 approx. and then not increasing the humidity until first external pip. Mind you, I have been hatching all of my breeds with this level of humidity with good success.
It's interesting that they were upside down. Usually, this indicates a humidity level that is too high throughout the incubation causing the chick to become too big in the shell because the air cell does not expand and allows too much space inside for the chick to fill. Then come hatch time, they cannot turn. This does not necessarily mean that they dont hatch though. They can hatch through the small end but it takes longer from pip to zip to hatch.
When you eggtopsied the eggs, were the chicks very wet?

 

[DownByTheRiver]

I have found that with my Marans eggs the best humidity is between 35 - 40% till day 18 approx. and then not increasing the humidity until first external pip. Mind you, I have been hatching all of my breeds with this level of humidity with good success.
It's interesting that they were upside down. Usually, this indicates a humidity level that is too high throughout the incubation causing the chick to become too big in the shell because the air cell does not expand and allows too much space inside for the chick to fill. Then come hatch time, they cannot turn. This does not necessarily mean that they dont hatch though. They can hatch through the small end but it takes longer from pip to zip to hatch.
When you eggtopsied the eggs, were the chicks very wet?

No, and the air cell was normal size.

 

[oregonkat]

No, and the air cell was normal size.