Chicks haven't hatched

[kshultz]

I new help! This is my second batch of eggs to incubate. First batch no problem and had good success. With this batch I am on day 24, no movement and no chirping. I cracked open an egg and there was a fully developed chick with a lot of liquid around it but no life. My other eggs are still in the incubator and I poked a hole in them to maybe help with hatching but there is no chirping or movement. Should I leave them in the incubator or do you thing there are all dead?

 

[Megan Amber]

I would candle them to see if they died or not. So very sorry this happened was your temp solid and humidity high enough?

 

[bugglesmommy]

With the eggs past due and no reaction to you artificially pipping them ... the chances of them being alive aren't good. You should have float tested them first. Now with a hole in them you can't do that. I am so sorry about your loss.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC!!

So very glad you joined us!!

 

[bugglesmommy]

I would eggtopsy them to figure out when and maybe why they died. Here is a good image for that:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8neZDScBg...gvsraPfBQ/s1600/chick_embryo_development1.jpg

 

[kshultz]

My temp was good the whole time. I don't have a humidty monitor. With my first batch I just watched them temp and kept damp cloth in there at all times to help with the humidity. Should I get a humidity monitor?

 

[Megan Amber]

I might would considering the humidity is changing according to many different factors. The other possibility of what caused this is the egg age before incubation. Do you know how old they were?

 

[kshultz]

Looks like they died around day 18 because the one I cracked open still had the yolk sack.

 

[bugglesmommy]

You should absolutely get a humidity monitor. Correct humidity is vital and can easily make or break a hatch. They make plenty that double as a thermometer and humidity gauge. I would also want to calibrate the thermometer for accuracy if I were you.

 

[kshultz]

No I don't know how old they were. We just have hens and someone had given me some fertilized eggs.