chicks not fully breaking the egg

[mamagallina]

We are using a foam incubator and 3 out of 10 died before breaking free from the egg. Is it too cool,hot, dry or wet condition afecting them? How soon before they hatch are they suposed to be moved into the brooder? What temperature should they be kept in the brooder? Thanks for your help.

 

[Katy]

Knowing your temps and humidity level would help in giving you some ideas about what may have went wrong. Also did they get stuck in the shell and die...or just die before they zipped all the way?

 

[Mahonri]

Could be too wet... they might be drowning.

Could be too dry... they might be sticking and not able to move.

Hopefully the heat is a CONSTANT. (Don't ever open the bator after day 18, until day 22)

Usually when you do your eggtopsy after, you'll be able to figure out which it was.

 

[BawGock]

First of all

Sorry to hear about your hatch.
It does sound like the humidity was too low.
When the membranes lining the eggs are not moist enough they become very tough for the chicks to break and stick to the chicks making it very difficult for them to move in the already tight confines of the shell.
Every one has a favorite humidity they like to hatch at. For me 60-70% has worked well.
You do not want to move any chicks to the brooder until you are pretty certain that your hatch is complete.
Opening the incubator anytime during the hatch risks drying out the membranes in the eggs and literally shrink wrapping the chicks in the membranes before they can even get out of the egg.
Hope this helps,
Carolyn

 

[ranchhand]

Hi Mamagallina, there are so many variables that it's difficult to answer your questions without all the details. Sorry to hear about the 3 chicks. I take it the other 7 hatched?

I am a pretty new hatcher, and I found that by looking in the Index, finding the topic I needed and reading all the info it really helped me figure out what to do and how to do it!

Good luck on your next hatch!

 

[mamagallina]

Thanks everybody, we are almost sure its the humidity, we got two born today

 

[BawGock]

That's good to hear!

Carolyn