Chicken Egg Membrane

[ChickChic00]

Any way to make egg membrane softer?? Our chicken egg membrane is so hard we could drop them and they still wouldn't bust open. I have chicken eggs for hatching and 1 has fully developed but has died. It had a super hard membrane. Just like to know how to soften the membrane. Any help is appreciated!!

 

[Sagey_7878]

Raise the humidity, that’s what I would do. Good luck! Sorry about the chick. ​

 

[Maiahr]

Yes, raise the humidity. I use coconut oil but some would disagree that it dries the membrane. It has worked for me.

 

[ChickChic00]

Yes, raise the humidity. I use coconut oil but some would disagree that it dries the membrane. It has worked for me.

Wouldn't that drown the chick in the shell?

 

[Maiahr]

Wouldn't that drown the chick in the shell?

Apologies, should've explained. I use earbuds and only apply coconut oil on the outer side of the membrane. I don't pour it inside.

 

[ChickChic00]

Apologies, should've explained. I use earbuds and only apply coconut oil on the outer side of the membrane. I don't pour it inside.

Cool info! But I also meant raising the humidity. Wouldn't raising the humidity drown any others that I have?

 

[Maiahr]

Mine are hatching as we speak, the first came out this morning, another 32 to go. The humidity in the incubator is 72% I can't stabilise it to a lower %. So at 72% - they will not drown.

 

[Maiahr]

BTW I am now re-reading your post.. you had a fully developed chick that did not pip and died in the egg? There could be a thousand reasons why it died in the shell, does not mean the membrane is hard. Weak chicks are a result of many factors, including genetics...

 

[ChickChic00]

BTW I am now re-reading your post.. you had a fully developed chick that did not pip and died in the egg? There could be a thousand reasons why it died in the shell, does not mean the membrane is hard. Weak chicks are a result of many factors, including genetics...

It was from my black australorp hen and rir rooster. They are usually pretty hardy. I also have rir and isa brown crosses too. That's what I'm hatching. Rir x Isa Brown, Rir x Black Australorp, White Japanese Black Tailed Bantam x Partridge Cochin, Silver Duckwing Bantam x Self Blue Bantam. Cant wait to see what the bantams will look like once they hatch!

 

[ChickChic00]

your incubator is at over 70% humidity? and here i am berated by asswipes on this website for doing things purposefully wrong! one of mine, which is OK, was born bloody at the navel probably due to too high humidity which was around 67% give or take.

My humidity is at 58-62% Humidity and all but 2 are completely fine and hatching. Just the membrane to my eggs are so hard.