chicks died in eggs.... why?

[wjallen05]

Oops, didn't realize that they were pea-combed and not rose-combed. And I knew that Silkies had walnut-combs geez what was I thinking!!

Maybe I had the humidity too high. And shouldn't have opened the bator.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Try keeping the humidity around 35-45% the first 18 days. Then I up it to around 60-65 for hatching.

 

[cockadoodlemom]

Hard lesson to learn is leave the bator closed till all chicks hatch no matter what

 

[bandm]

I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Leyland B. Hayes (Noted Authority on all kinds of fowl and hatching and raising). I asked him about the same problem with chicks going full term and dieing before hatching. He noted that too much inbreeding of the chickens can also cause this. Just my 2 cents.

bandm

 

[Jamie821]

If they zip then die and fully formed and die the issue usually is to high of a humidity in the first eighteen days. I run my still air humidity at a average of 35 never going over 40 and dont add water till it drops to 25. The egg has to evaporate moisture in the first eighteen days to make room for the air sac, If this does not happen the chick will drown when it internally pips. Your late hatches would be from temp being to low at incubation. Also you are running your humidity to high for the last three days. I run mine not over 60. Try this and see what your results are with it.

 

[klf73]

Quote:
ditto

 

[klf73]

Quote:
it's really not that big of a deal. I open my bator all the time. If humidity goes below 60% I just add some warm/hot water and that brings the humidity right back up.....

 

[Smoky73]

I want to point out that dry incubation does NOT work for everyone. It makes a huge difference what your climate is most of the time. Here, in Colorado, where I live, the humidity is RARELY ever about 35% and most of the time, it is around 25%. Today was 27%. I could not do dry incubation here, and I have a hard time letting broodies hatch their own chicks, there just is not enough humidity.

 

[Jamie821]

They are in ne georgia I looked before I said that which is within two hours of me/ Their humidity is like mine

 

[Smoky73]

Yeah then you are correct, it would probably work for them.