Ok. We've got to get this figured out. I lost another 13 fully formed chicks with exposed yolk sacks after lockdown. I think they drowned. I'm keeping humidity at around 30% the first 18 days and raising it at the end to 70 to 80%. Should I not add so much water at lockdown. I think I'm going to keep it lower. I'm going to post pictures. They are pretty graphic. When I open the egg, I can pour water out. They have plenty of air cavity. Only two out of 13 had internal pips. They all looked exactly like these pictures.
This is the only internal pip and it had water in the shell
Unless someone says differently, I'm going to keep my humidity lower at hatch time. All my unhatched chicks have been like this. I think it's drowning.
Opinions?
On a good note. I do have 16 or 17 new chicks and 12 out of 18 shipped eggs hatched.
Doug, Sally is better at this then me, but I won't add any water at all during your hatches, since your humidity is so high in your area and then take it to about 45- 50 during your hatch. I stop using a hydrometer due to it driving me crazy, maybe Sumi or Sally will join us and can answer better. When your chicks drown it is happening from too much humidity during the incubation period, water collects in the air sac and then when they pip internally they drown. Try a dry hatch which your humidity inside the incubator should be right around 30% no lower then 25%. I get that in Ohio right now without adding water. Give it a try. I hope your hatch goes well.
