Did the chick die?

[Heritage Hen]

Yesterday was hatch day for my solitary remaining viable egg. I candled the egg and it appears to be full term, but nothing happened again today. No movement or pipping of the shell. When do I decide this one isn't going to hatch at all?

 

[hysop]

What day are you on?

 

[Heritage Hen]

It was 22 days

 

[hysop]

It was 22 days

Did it end up hatching?

 

[Heritage Hen]

Nope. I decided on the evening of the 22nd day to open it up. It was fully formed, but the yolk was not absorbed and there was no movement from the chick. She was a beauty, but she would have been an only chick. Pretty sad hatch for 0 out of 22 to hatch at all.

 

[Erin80]

Nope. I decided on the evening of the 22nd day to open it up. It was fully formed, but the yolk was not absorbed and there was no movement from the chick. She was a beauty, but she would have been an only chick. Pretty sad hatch for 0 out of 22 to hatch at all.

I had a bad hatch too - 2/10. At least we can try again! Good luck next hatch

 

[hysop]

Nope. I decided on the evening of the 22nd day to open it up. It was fully formed, but the yolk was not absorbed and there was no movement from the chick. She was a beauty, but she would have been an only chick. Pretty sad hatch for 0 out of 22 to hatch at all.

Do you have some idea of what went wrong? Is this your first batch or one of many?

 

[Heritage Hen]

This is my second batch. I have yet to actually hatch a single chick successfully. The first batch was what I considered to be a practice batch with a very janky makeshift incubator consisting of a brooder plate and a plastic box with a sponge in it. I'm not really very surprised none of them hatched.

This second failed hatch used a harris farms incubator. 16 eggs I bought and had shipped, and 6 from my own hen. Only two from my hen were developing at all, the purchased eggs were all duds. The current theory is they were x-rayed somewhere along the line by the post office.

The next batch in the brooder is another breed (Red Dorkings) I purchased and I drove 3.5 hours each way to pick them up personally just so I could be absolutely sure x-rays could not be at fault if this batch doesn't hatch at all.

I'm relatively certain I'm doing everything right, but it is pretty frustrating to have a 0% hatch rate twice in a row.

I have a broody hen that is sitting on a batch that I hope will have better luck.

 

[kelseyk]

So sorry you have had 2 bad hatches in a row. I hope that your next batch goes much better!

 

[hysop]

This is my second batch. I have yet to actually hatch a single chick successfully. The first batch was what I considered to be a practice batch with a very janky makeshift incubator consisting of a brooder plate and a plastic box with a sponge in it. I'm not really very surprised none of them hatched.

This second failed hatch used a harris farms incubator. 16 eggs I bought and had shipped, and 6 from my own hen. Only two from my hen were developing at all, the purchased eggs were all duds. The current theory is they were x-rayed somewhere along the line by the post office.

The next batch in the brooder is another breed (Red Dorkings) I purchased and I drove 3.5 hours each way to pick them up personally just so I could be absolutely sure x-rays could not be at fault if this batch doesn't hatch at all.

I'm relatively certain I'm doing everything right, but it is pretty frustrating to have a 0% hatch rate twice in a row.

I have a broody hen that is sitting on a batch that I hope will have better luck.

So all these have been with a makeshift incubator? How many thermometers and hygrometers do you have in there to verify that the temperatures and humidity levels are consistent and accurate?