Am I having a humidity problem?

[wanda047]

I bought some silkie eggs from a BYC member. They were wrapped perfectly and arrived in tact... but only after a week floating around who knows where 'cause the PO lost them!!

Of the 16 eggs, only 8 developed.

When I went to bed last night I had one chick out, and several pips. I had peeping from the remaining 7 eggs. I honestly expected to wake this morning and find a bator full of babies running around. Instead, I found two had died in their shells. One had hatched and appeared okay. The remaining 4 had made no progress at all and were very quiet. I made the decision to intervene and hatched 4 more beautiful babies, all fully formed, yolk absorbed, but their membranes were all very dry. My humidity read between 65-70% the last three days and no temp spikes, yet all the membranes appeared extremely dry. Had I not intervened, I'm sure they too would've died in their shells.

Tonight after inspecting all the babies in their brooder and getting to really look at them closely, I discovered that one of the babies has a crippled leg. The leg is drawn very close to its body and it appears to be unable to straighten it. It's toes may also be curled, but at this point, I'm not sure if that's true, or just the way it appears.

I have more eggs in the other bator due to hatch next week and I don't want a re-run of these problems. Do you suppose the hatching issues and crippled chick are a result of humidity?? Do I need to raise it above 70%?
I'm using a LG, still air and I haven't had these issues with past hatches, just this one. I understand there can be issues with shipped eggs, but I'm assuming the dry membranes are not related... but instead a humidity problem? I'm totally distressed over the crippled chick and unsure what I will do with it.

I could use some advice.

 

[minikeeper1143]

Yesterday was day 21 of my first hatch. I am in Northeast Louisiana so our outside humidity is similar to yours.. I have had a similar problem. I had two temp/hygrometers in my genesis incubator and they were always the same or very, very close. The first two chicks came out fine then new ones began to struggle with being stuck in the egg with membrane and shell stuck to them. Two, one with major zip, and one pipped have died in the shell, I have about 8 others in the incubator and I am sick that they may die in the shell. My humidity has been 70% or very close. It would rise for a little bit when a new wet chick appeared.

I wonder if getting stuck to the membrane could have caused the leg problem. I am so tempted now to help one that has been pipped for hours( but I can see slight movement).It is so miserable to wonder if you are sitting by and letting them die. I have 7 of 21 out of the shell.

Do you have a good bit of water and the wet sponges in yours? There is not much water left in mine but humidity is now 72.

Maybe some of the seasoned hatchers will advise us.

 

[wanda047]

yes, I had two small sponges, plus water in the wells at the bottom of the bator. I'm always scared to get the humidity too high and drown the babies, now I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't raise it a tad.

I'm sick at losing the two babies that we peeping when I went to bed last night. I opened both eggs today. Both chicks were fully formed, no yolk visible, but very dry inside. Maybe I'm not keeping the humidity up high enough the first 18 days? I've been keeping it about 40%. Maybe I'll try keeping it closer to 50%. I just don't know.

Our weather may have something to do with it. It's rained for a week!

The humidity is horrible here! I hate to keep "experimenting" and trying to figure out what will work for me, at the fate of baby chicks. My first hatch went perfect! Second wasn't bad... then they started going down hill from there. I'm discouraged to say the least.

 

[minikeeper1143]

I am pretty down right now too. I have one now with a major hole in the shell but not really zipped. I see a little blood at the edge of the membrane, The other chicks are pecking him and he is very vocal but not really struggling hard to get out. I wonder if he is stuck too. Do you know what the blood means? I am sitting here miserable because I don't know what to do. I don't want to make matters worse,

 

[wanda047]

I think occasionally they will pip near a blood vessel and cause a little blood, but unless it's bleeding a lot I don't think I'd be concerned. Maybe someone here will be able to answer that one better than me.

I don't like to intervene unless necessary. If you have to intervene, be sure to read this first. It really helped me.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9316