Day 18 tomorrow, AGAIN! Hatch upright or on sides again?

[flipflops]

So I hatched my first eggs ever 18 days ago. I ended up with 32 good at lockdown and 12 hatched. Now I am on my 2nd batch of silkies, I started with 42 now down to about 17 good eggs and tomorrow is lock down. Last time i put them on their sides with the big end of the air cell up. This time I have several with huge saddle shaped cells. Should I still do on side or try upright in cartons? These are all shipped eggs.

 

[flipflops]

Any help?

 

[curious1969]

I normally leave my shipped eggs upright to hatch. Maybe give it a try and see if your numbers are better? Good luck!!

 

[mdees88]

Congratulations on your first hatch ever. If you have 32 eggs at lockdown and are only hatching out 12 you do have issues. Without knowing anything I would guess you might be having humidity problems...

Did you do any eggtopsies to see what condition the eggs that didn't hatch were in?
What kind of incubator are you using?
What temps and humidity have you been running?
Are you using a calibrated thermometer/hygrometer?

So far I have hatched out 243 quail from shipped eggs and I have never set any eggs upright, they have all been on their sides and I pay no attention to the air cells. I just lay the eggs in the hatching tray. After 3 or 4 quail hatch out all the rest of my eggs get rolled around anyway...

 

[flipflops]

Eggs were steady 45 humidiy before lockdown and 65 to 70 during lockdown

 

[flipflops]

And yes I had calibrated meters

 

[flipflops]

So I should just hatch on the sides again? Or up?

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

I'd try up. I've never hatched before, but a lot of people I know have had pretty good success with doing it up.

 

[mdees88]

I honestly think there is a problem somewhere else if 20 chicks fully developed in the egg and didn't hatch out. Since you haven't tried up yet it surely wouldn't hurt to give it a try.....

So far I've averaged a 94% hatch rate on 200+ fertile eggs with them laying on their sides.... but I do realize a quail is not a chicken

Which incubator do you have?

 

[curious1969]

I would try sitting them upright. Are you keeping track of your air cell size, 45% humidity would be too high for me, but I'm not sure where you are located? In my experience with silkies some will have trouble hatching if they have large vaulted skulls, I have had to help some of these in the past, and lost some that just couldn't seem to reach to pip. I also feel upright hatching is better with wonky air cells....just my personal opinion I wish you luck with your hatch