Egg necropsy: pic

[txpanhandler]

So here's our background, friend and I both have homemade cooler incubators, we ordered our first batch off the webz, 60 eggs, and after some shipping woes set the eggs 9 days post collection. I hatched 15 of 33, friend hatched 9 of 27. Not terrible. That was 6 months ago. Finally tried hatching some eggs from our original line, same set ups, I hatched 15 of 24, and then, friend hatches 0 of 23. Only 3 of his eggs were infertile, the rest were an assortment of different stages of development that stalled out. Said his temp and humidity were solid, rolled em twice a day, same as last time. Any thoughts?

 

[Quail Jailer]

So here's our background, friend and I both have homemade cooler incubators, we ordered our first batch off the webz, 60 eggs, and after some shipping woes set the eggs 9 days post collection. I hatched 15 of 33, friend hatched 9 of 27. Not terrible. That was 6 months ago. Finally tried hatching some eggs from our original line, same set ups, I hatched 15 of 24, and then, friend hatches 0 of 23. Only 3 of his eggs were infertile, the rest were an assortment of different stages of development that stalled out. Said his temp and humidity were solid, rolled em twice a day, same as last time. Any thoughts?

If I had to guess I'd start with ventilation.

 

[1000yearoldeggs]

Hmm, this batch wasn't shipped right? He should have gotten more this time. Did he calibrate his thermostat? Different stages of development makes me think his incubator has spotty temps. Is it a still air incubator? Mine is homemade and a still air, it's a little spotty, so I try to switch eggs around into different spots.

And yes, QuailJailer is right, ventilation is important so that the eggs can breathe. I have troubles with my incubator too, but I still manage to hatch some each time.

 

[James the Bald]

Somewhere from your friends first hatch until the second one, something drastically changed, and not for the better. Your hatch of 50% isn't bad for shipped eggs on a home made 'bator, but 33% is something that should have been checked into. Like QJ suggested, ventilation could be an issue, but with very little info, it's hard to say. Instead of lining up dead embryos, it would have been better to see the photos of the 'bator.

Is it a forced air or still air? Does he have more than 1 thermometer and hygrometer? Is the thermometer at the level of the eggs or closer to the top of the bator? Did he record his data each day? Was the 'bator thoroughly cleaned after it's first use? If you each built the same incubator, you should check them side by side to see the differences (one of his components, such as the temperature controller could be faulty). If his readings were solid, then he should have had at minimum, 8 chicks.
James

 

[txpanhandler]

It's forced air, computer fan running 24/7. We just have cheap accurite thermostats, and it hasn't been an issue on my end. We aren't shooting for 100% here, I don't really have time for charts and what not, I understand I won't get the best results that way. His is a little different than mine, no metal surrounding light bulb, it just sticks out of the side if his cooler. We both have holes on top of the cooler, I have holes on side by fan, not sure if he does. Here's mine

 

[Palawman30]

I would venture to guess improper temperature and possible mishandling the hands during turning?

 

[Quail Jailer]

As development occurs the oxygen requirements of the chick starts to pretty rapidly increase after about day 8-9.

If everything is as you said and the difference between the two machines is vent holes to allow fresh air in.

Well...Seems pretty obvious to me.