Can humidity be too high during hatch?

[hmlongino]

The ones that hatched early are nice and strong... the ones that hatched at the end ended up with sticky mess on them, but they are okay.

I found this thread that has pics from someone's eggtopsy that look just like the 14 of mine that didn't hatch--- https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6409276

The pics in the 2nd post on this page shows fully formed chicks in tons of fluid. Just like mine.

???

 

[cmom]

If you initially incubate at a higher humidity then you can drown the chicks as the water accumulates in the air sack and when the chick pips the air sack it drowns. I used to incubate at 40% to 50% humidity but have found if I keep my humidity down to around 35% during incubation and keep it around 65% to 75% during lockdown, I have a 90% to 100% hatch and no shrink wrapping even though I take the chicks with their shells out as they hatch. What works for me might not work for everyone.

 

[1234duck]

By looking at the pictures(from the link you posted) that chick wasn't even ready to hatch. Meaning that, yes it must have died/stopped absorbing the yolk probably around lock down. IMO... The age of the eggs wouldnt be the issue since they were alive and developing and just about made it to the hatch day. ~My major mess up for my chicks/ducks dieing at that stage was bad temp and humidity spikes before and during lock down. So i learned the hard way how important the steady temp and humidity is more than just one time of incubation. ~ When you say... hatched early(the other chicks that made it), how early were they? ~Julie~

 

[hmlongino]

Chicks started hatching on day 19. All that hatched did so on days 19 and 20. Two on day 21 were stuck from day 20.... ended up sticky from being zipped for 24+ hours and had to help them. So, I wouldn't count any as really hatching on day 21.

 

[cmom]

I just put some eggs in my hatcher today, day 18 and I have 2 pips. I have had chicks hatch on day 18 before but some start hatching on day 19 and most hatch on day 20 and a few hatch on day 21.

 

[1234duck]

Not that this probably matters now, but... did you open Every Unhatched Egg? I was just wondering if you were really sure that they were dead or not before opening the shell. I had an egg hatch early and same hatch had a couple real late ones hatch. And as hard as it is, its important to keep the bator closed at lock down. Were the eggs very active/moving and rocking at all while in lock down? ~Julie~

 

[Gypsy07]

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Well, yeah, that's what you'd think, but older eggs can start developing and even make it most of the way to hatching, but just not quite get there.
I'm not saying that's what DID happen just that it COULD be what happened here...

The other points you made about temp and humidity spikes are of couse correct. And as these eggs started hatching early, on day 19, it does sound like either constant high temps or a temp spike may have caused the problems....

 

[cmom]

A few hatches ago on day 23 I was going to throw out the eggs that hadn't hatched (3 eggs). I picked one of the eggs up and I heard peeping and noticed it had pipped the bottom side which I couldn't see. I removed some of the shell and moistened the membrane and put it back into the incubator and a little while later it hatched. I left the other two in for a couple of more days but nothing so I chucked them. I used to do eggtopsies but not anymore.

 

[hmlongino]

I candled each one long and hard to check for movement, and saw none. I eggtopsied two, but I could tell they were all at the same stage, and all floating in goo.

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[hmlongino]

I would never eggtopsy if I wasn't positive there wasn't movement in there!

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