Chicks Dead in Egg

[CHlCK3N]

In my previous attempt with hatching eggs, most of the eggs didn't make it. After smelling the eggs and making sure the chicks were dead, I cracked a few and looked at the little babies. They were fully developed, which is what I was confused about. Maybe I cracked them too soon? Was there not enough humidity? After that last question I realized something I didn't take note of. The membrane seemed dry and thick on some eggs. Must be not enough humidity! If so, how do I raise it? What else could be a factor?

 

[sylviethecochin]

The only time I have ever experienced this, the cause was a riboflavin deficiency. Symptoms include curled toes and weakness in chicks that do manage to hatch. Chicks that don't hatch usually die on day #20 because of poor blood circulation. A study (I'll find the link again eventually) linked riboflavin deficiency to hardiness and chick strength for the first week.

I'm sure there are other causes, but that was my experience. Did you buy the eggs?

EDT: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hatchability-problem-analysis.62956/

 

[CHlCK3N]

The only time I have ever experienced this, the cause was a riboflavin deficiency. Symptoms include curled toes and weakness in chicks that do manage to hatch. Chicks that don't hatch usually die on day #20 because of poor blood circulation. A study (I'll find the link again eventually) linked riboflavin deficiency to hardiness and chick strength for the first week.

I'm sure there are other causes, but that was my experience. Did you buy the eggs?

I did not, I got them straight from the coop. How can I help prevent riboflavin deficiencies?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Riboflavin is available at your local Walmart in tablet form.

However, I knew that riboflavin was the culprit due to the one chick that did hatch--he showed classic signs of riboflavin deficiency. And a number of other embryos had failed at about day four, which is the other peak death day for B2 deficiency.

Any number of vitamin deficiencies can cause this problem. I'd get a general poultry-vitamin (or any vitamin mix, low in iron) and add it to their feed. Also, check out the above link. And make sure that whatever you got does contain all of the vitamins listed unless you're absolutely sure that your chickens already have that vitamin available.

 

[venymae]

What do your chooks eat on a regular basis? Reasons for dead-in-shell besides riboflavin deficiencies could be drowning in egg from not losing enough moisture of during incubation, bacterial infection (rare), or losing too much moisture. How did your air cells look?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Yes, I have a tendency to blame everything on vitamin deficiencies. When I was a kid, we lost half a kidding season's worth of baby goats to vitamin E/Selenium deficiency. Don't be afraid to look for other causes.

What do your chooks eat on a regular basis? Reasons for dead-in-shell besides riboflavin deficiencies could be drowning in egg from not losing enough moisture of during incubation, bacterial infection (rare), or losing too much moisture. How did your air cells look?

 

[CHlCK3N]

What do your chooks eat on a regular basis? Reasons for dead-in-shell besides riboflavin deficiencies could be drowning in egg from not losing enough moisture of during incubation, bacterial infection (rare), or losing too much moisture. How did your air cells look?

I'm sorry, but I can't say I remember what they looked like. My chooks as in chicks or chickens? Hens ate some type of egg strengthener pellets. Have them on feather fixer now. . .

 

[venymae]

Layer feed should have riboflavin added to it, but if you are planning on hatching it never hurts to give them a supplement about a month before to get it saturated in their system. Because it is a water soluble vitamin there is very little risk of overdose.
Checking air cell size is very important when incubating. Too much moisture lost during incubation and the chick will not have room to turn/grow. Too little moisture lost and when the chick tries to pip into the air cell and take it's first breath, it will drown. And of course you need high moisture during lockdown 60+% I mostly judge by size appearance when I candle, but a lot of people weigh their eggs. Here are the general recommendations for air cell size, should you want to try again.

 

[CHlCK3N]

Riboflavin is available at your local Walmart in tablet form.

However, I knew that riboflavin was the culprit due to the one chick that did hatch--he showed classic signs of riboflavin deficiency. And a number of other embryos had failed at about day four, which is the other peak death day for B2 deficiency.

Any number of vitamin deficiencies can cause this problem. I'd get a general poultry-vitamin (or any vitamin mix, low in iron) and add it to their feed. Also, check out the above link. And make sure that whatever you got does contain all of the vitamins listed unless you're absolutely sure that your chickens already have that vitamin available.

Do you know if any foods are rich in it? I'm guessing not, haha

 

[CHlCK3N]

Layer feed should have riboflavin added to it, but if you are planning on hatching it never hurts to give them a supplement about a month before to get it saturated in their system. Because it is a water soluble vitamin there is very little risk of overdose.
Checking air cell size is very important when incubating. Too much moisture lost during incubation and the chick will not have room to turn/grow. Too little moisture lost and when the chick tries to pip into the air cell and take it's first breath, it will drown. And of course you need high moisture during lockdown 60+% I mostly judge by size appearance when I candle, but a lot of people weigh their eggs. Here are the general recommendations for air cell size, should you want to try again.

https://www.nutrenaworld.com/product/naturewise-feather-fixer-poultry-feed
I had my hens on this a few months before collecting eggs to incubate. Is it a decent choice?