Eggs hatching on day 22?

[the_chicken_whisperer]

Hello, I was wondering if you guys could help?

I've incubated eggs before, I got a hatch rate of 20/28 and they all hatched in the morning of day 21.

I put some 'fancier' breeds in and did everything the same way, humidity averaged at 54% and never went below 50%, the temperature stayed at 99.5°f and during lockdown the humidity is at 70%. One did pip on day 21, and I can still see it moving inside his shell, but it didn't look like it was ever trying too hard. I

I was worried that nun of them would hatch. It's now day 22, one hatched sometime in the night, a few are shaking a bit, and a new one has pipped. Has Anyone had this happen?

 

[LeslieRowley]

Depending on if you have a still air incubator, could be that they were just a little behind hence the day 22 hatch. I wouldn't be concerned though since there are pips beginning. I've heard of chicks hatching day 24/25 even.

 

[the_chicken_whisperer]

Depending on if you have a still air incubator, could be that they were just a little behind hence the day 22 hatch. I wouldn't be concerned though since there are pips beginning. I've heard of chicks hatching day 24/25 even.

Thanks! It's a forced air incubator, so I don't know if that changes anything.

 

[LeslieRowley]

Not really. Do you have a separate thermometer in it to test the temp? Sometimes if the actual temp is a little low then it'll extend incubation a day ish. But like i said, regardless not too worrisome and fairly common.

 

[LeslieRowley]

How'd it end up going ?

 

[the_chicken_whisperer]

How'd it end up going ?

Sorry, I didn't see your response until now.

To answer your first question. Yes, I have 3 thermometers that are all calibrated.

Only 9/40 ended up hatching, most hatched on day 24 with the last one hatching on day 26 and dying shortly after.

My friend is an experienced breeder/Hatcher and has been doing this for over 10 years.

We both bought eggs at the same time from the same breeder, he said that this was his worst hatch yet, and that it's probably something to do with the eggs.

 

[LeslieRowley]

Wow that is a bad hatch ! I'm sorry about that. We're they all viable and wiggling on day 18 ? Such a shame.

 

[the_chicken_whisperer]

I gotta learn how to turn on the notifications for this website.

I counted 35 heart beats on day 17, the ones I couldn't count was because the shells were too thick to tell, but when I did an egg-topsy all but 2 were fertilized, and they were all developed until at least day 17.

The ones that did hatch and survived more than two days seem to be doing healthy.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I'm so sorry. I've had some awful hatch rates lately as well, but I don't have many to develop and very few to none making it to lock down. I've narrowed my problem down to the eggs not handling the shipping very well at all. I believe pure bred birds are a bit more delicate, at least from what I've been learning. I've started asking the person I purchase eggs from, how they hatch them and ask for any tips or tricks they can share with me. I am trying those tips and tricks now, so I can't say how it turns out just yet.

 

[the_chicken_whisperer]

This was a purebred batch (ameraucana,
gold laced wyandotte and silver laced wyandotte)

It's probably an 'ok-ish' thing that they didn't all hatch, I already have 58 chicks in a large pen outside, plus the 31 chickens I already have, my coop only holds about 100 and with one more dying this morning that puts me at 97 birds.

I don't know what I'll have after eating/selling the roosters, but I'm guessing at least 70.