cause of unhatched eggs

[cjschickens]

Does it harm unpipped eggs to have the newly hatched peeps jumping all over them and rolling them around in the incubator ? I had 12 eggs from my last hatch that didn't make it. I cracked them open and everything was fine -- chick developed, good air sac, soft membrane. They were in a fan forced hova-bator for incubation, then I placed them in a still air Little giant for hatch. The temp was 100 and humidity at 75. I had to help one chick hatch, as it pipped at the narrow end of shell and couldn't get out. Also should the temp at the base of incubating eggs be around 98 degrees , and on top it should be 99.5-100 ? I read that you are to let the newly hatched chick in the bator until it's dry but am wondering about this ! Thanks for your help !

 

[Becci]

It never affects my pipped eggs to be rolled around. If you're worried, you can hatch in egg cartons. The center of the egg is supposed to be 99.5, so if you're using a still air, because heat rises, you want the top of the eggs to read at 100 - 101 F.

This website is one I always go to when I have issues (Other than byc, of course)
http://www.natureform.com/kb/index.php?article=1011

 

[mstricer]

Did you have the red plugs in or out?

 

[cjschickens]

The one was in until they started to pip, then I pulled the other one out. I just finished my eggtopsy and 2 had piped through the inner membrane but never made it any further. There was not water inbetween, so they didn't drown ??? The others -- some died before fully developing, other were fully developed ?? I love watching chicks hatch, but hate it when something goes wrong !!

 

[mstricer]

Yeah I know what you mean. I had a hatch 4 weeks ago, 150 eggs and only got probably 65 chicks. The rest died fully devoloped. Not enough humidity. It's horrible.

 

[cjschickens]

That is sad ! I don't think humidity was my problem tho. It was at 75 the whole time and when they started hatching it shot up to 82 , so I propped the lid up just a tiny bit so some of the moisture could escape.