Dead after lockdown! Why?

[Pandang81]

Ok guys,
I usually have about a 60% hatch rate with shipped eggs. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. Several times now though with both shipped and non shipped eggs I’ve had several live eggs go into lockdown and only 2 or 3 hatch. All the rest died without pipping. I have tried high humidity of 50% average and I have tried low humidity of 35% average and still same results with several dead after lockdown. Is that a normal occurrence when you hatch your own eggs?

Has anyone figured out what causes it and how to prevent it?
I hate seeing all those chicks make it all the way to lockdown just to die in shell.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

What eggs are you hatching? Are you turning the eggs? Do you keep the incubator always closed during lockdown to prevent wrapping the chicks? Lastly, do you have a truthful thermometer and hydrometer?

 

[Yardmom]

The humidity you mentioned is good for most days of incubation, but you need to raise it for hatching. 60 to 70 percent for hatching

 

[Pandang81]

What eggs are you hatching? Are you turning the eggs? Do you keep the incubator always closed during lockdown to prevent wrapping the chicks? Lastly, do you have a truthful thermometer and hydrometer?

I’ve been hatching long enough and am a perfectionist so yes turning, yes separate hydrometer/thermometer & no I do not open during lockdown.
I usually hatch silkies but also Ameraucana, marans and salmon Faverolles.

 

[Pandang81]

The humidity you mentioned is good for most days of incubation, but you need to raise it for hatching. 60 to 70 percent for hatching

Of course I raise it during lockdown. . It’s usually at about 65-70 during lockdown. Thanks.

 

[BelovedBirds]

What eggs are you hatching? Are you turning the eggs? Do you keep the incubator always closed during lockdown to prevent wrapping the chicks? Lastly, do you have a truthful thermometer and hydrometer?

Just to note, you can open the incubator during lockdown, it's only a risk in shrink wrapping if the eggs are externally pipped, and even then they are usually okay.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Ok guys,
I usually have about a 60% hatch rate with shipped eggs. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. Several times now though with both shipped and non shipped eggs I’ve had several live eggs go into lockdown and only 2 or 3 hatch. All the rest died without pipping. I have tried high humidity of 50% average and I have tried low humidity of 35% average and still same results with several dead after lockdown. Is that a normal occurrence when you hatch your own eggs?

Has anyone figured out what causes it and how to prevent it?
I hate seeing all those chicks make it all the way to lockdown just to die in shell.

Sorry to hear this!
Were they malpositioned? Any bruising on the eggs?
It's hard to say in this situation. It could be genetic, it could be to do with how they were stored, how old the eggs were, the shipping etc, did you buy from a seller you know/trust?

My first hatch attempt was with shipped quail eggs, sadly the only one to survive to lockdown died in shell without pipping internally- I still wonder what the exact cause was. I eventually put it down to sitting too long before going in the incubator, and having a really rough transit.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Just to note, you can open the incubator during lockdown, it's only a risk in shrink wrapping if the eggs are externally pipped, and even then they are usually okay.

Yes that's right. Was trying to get some more information out of the post.

I’ve been hatching long enough and am a perfectionist so yes turning, yes separate hydrometer/thermometer & no I do not open during lockdown.
I usually hatch silkies but also Ameraucana, marans and salmon Faverolles.

Out of eggs going into lockdown (after checking them beforehand) I have a very high success rate and it's not with anything special that I'm doing. All I can recommend is a dry hatch at 30-40% and a lockdown at 60-65%. Ensure you're turning often and keeping the eggs on their tips. Ensure incubator is running at a constant temperature and humidity and you do not change it until lockdown. Shipped eggs are a bit rubbish unfortunately though we've got to use the eggs we got!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Are you opening the eggs to inspect the dead chick? Just because they make it to lock down, it doesn't always mean they're good for hatching. Sometimes they can have a deformity (internally, externally or both), or they're just generally weak. Of course this isn't always the case but it does happen I know it's tough. I've seen it here. My broody duck just had 5 DIS out of 11

 

[BelovedBirds]

Are you opening the eggs to inspect the dead chick? Just because they make it to lock down, it doesn't always mean they're good for hatching. Sometimes they can have a deformity, or they're just generally weak. Of course this isn't always the case but it does happen I know it's tough. I've seen it here. My broody duck just had 5 DIS out of 11

Sorry to hear that
I was just thinking, surely how the egg is stored, how long it is stored and how it is shipped could affect the nutrients in the yolk? Perhaps that could be a cause for weaker chicks?