Chicks dying right at hatch

[chonsey]

I use Clorox wipes and then rinse off with hot water & dry off with paper towels.

 

[1 acre willows]

Were these chicken eggs or duck eggs? Your thread title indicates that they were chicken eggs. They should have hatched on or about day 21. Your hatch date indicates that your temperature was way too low. Was your thermometer calibrated? Did the bator have a fan? If it had a fan, 99.5 would be your goal temp. If no fan, then 102 is your goal temp.

Did you have any luck with your FIRST batch?

How were your air cell sizes? Did they match up to the air cell development chart in "Hatching Eggs 101". What was your goal for humidity during the incubation period? I'm guessing that you have a combination of too low temp and too high humidity.

Before setting eggs again, if you have not done so, you should calibrate your thermometers and your hygrometer.

With a home made incubator, using the temp guidelines for "with/without" a fan, calibrated thermometers, and goal humidity of 30 - 40% during the incubation period, I average at least 90% hatch rate, with all chicks hatching between day 20 and 22.

First batch yes I did have 50% luck but i only had 2 eggs. I only have chickens, all mutts. The incubator I was using did have a fan. Of the 9 in the last batch the air cells on about 6 were almost perfectly symmetrical around the top. Not dipping off to one side like in the drawing I keep seeing pop up on here.

 

[JaeG]

The air cells draw down like that (take on the slanted position) a little before the chicks start to internally pip. It's really important to monitor the humidity and air cell size so that you know if the eggs are losing enough moisture. If the air cells are too small the chick will pip internally but run out of oxygen before they can make an external pip. If the humidity is too low when the chicks externally pip the membranes will dry out and suffocate them before they can make it out of the egg. Hopefully someone can recommend a hygrometer (I'm in a different country).