I had 20 out of 24 eggs on my first try develop in the incubator. 5 or 6 pipped and then quit. 14 or so hatched but with major problems. 2 had huge navel hernias that I had to cull, 6 or 7 never dried properly so I gave them a quick warm dunk to try and get them cleaned - found out afterwards that was a no-no. Out of 8 Light Brahmas from the same seller, 6 had toes that curled inwards and even with some bandaids they didn't straighten and the chicks declined and by day 4 I was down to 2 Lt Brahams and 2 Dominiques (I had 3 Doms that hatched - I was standing on his insides, poor thing!) I had a still air HovaBator that I probably ran 1 degree too low - I kept it at 100 for most of the hatch. I did add an incubator fan at day 7. Before the fan went in I increased the temp to 102, now I've backed it down to 100-101. Could the Lt Brahma chicks be too closely related and that be the problem or was it more of a bator issue? I've got my fingerstoesnand elbows crossed for this next bunch due next Friday!
http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/Avian/pfs33.htm Has info on problems with incubation. Old eggs, low temp, etc.
