Chicks Dead In The Shell. What Happened?

[dangerouschicken]

Can someone explain what happened to my unhatched chicks? I had two fully-formed chicks that did not pip out and died inside the shell. The eggs were a little on the small side, so did they not have room to use their beaks?

The humidity was sort of wack. It was reading 40% on day 19, so I poured in more water and it went up to 80%! When I did have one zip out, it was all sticky wet from the humidity. Was that what also killed the others?

I used a Genesis 1588 with automatic egg turner (which was removed on Day 18). Only 3 eggs hatched out of 12. This was my first hatch ever.

 

[dangerouschicken]

anyone????

 

[Oblio13]

Humidity would be my guess, especially if you noticed the anomalies.

 

[klf73]

I have had both happen, too much humidity and a chick that was too large. The chick that was too large really took up most of the air cell. If it looks like your air cell is normal size then I would not think an oversize chick was the problem. Sorry it didn't work well for you

Krista

 

[dangerouschicken]

Thanks for the info. I think the air cell was too small, actually. The chicks looked too big for the shell when I cracked them open to see what happened.

 

[Joy1]

I accept it now as law of averages, just one of those things that happen .

 

[klf73]

DC- I am on day 17 with some showgirl eggs and I am holding my breath that they hatch. The eggs have to be the smallest I have had in my bator (and I have had frizzles and silkies) and the air cells don't look big enough at all

. What kind of eggs did you have and were they shipped?

Krista

edited to say-yes, it is one of those things that just happens, unfortunately

 

[steffpeck]

If you aircells were small, that could be an indication of too much humidity. My humidity ended up all wacky with my last hatch and I had several aircells that were small. I am sorry that you lost them. I know how sad it is to loose any of them, but it is even harder when they are fully formed and they have absorbed the yolk and still don't make it.

 

[Chicabee19]

sorry to hear of the unsuccessful hatch DC!

 

[chickens4jojo]

I'm so sorry you lost some of them.

I just had a hatch of buff silkies this week & I had the same problem with three of them. I felt badly about it & wondered what could have gone wrong, too.

My humidity did the same thing as yours, too...that must have been why, then.