Eggs hatching too early

kittycat1356

Songster
Mar 15, 2016
114
80
116
Fayetteville nc
Okay so, I set my chicken eggs in the incubator about 21 days ago, and duck eggs about three days later. On the 17-18th day of having them in the incubator, I woke up to a chick running about the incubator ( the eggs were taken off the Turner that night) I quickly removed him and put him in the broader, i checked the rest of the eggs and a few had pip holes. I went out to the movies and basically hung out in town for about 8hrs. I come home to another chick who hatched but was very sticky, I put him with the other who was now fully fluffed up. I waited another 8hrs and the pipholes did not change and I heard no more peeping. I became slightly worried at this point, (I just started raising the humidity the day my first chick hatched, I didn't realize they would hatch so early.

I ended up assisting a few, and they all are doing very well. ( there was a super sticky liquid that practically glued them to the inside of the shell) I typically wouldn't help a chick unless I felt something was definitely wrong, and for some reason my incubator ran hot this time. ( ill add a fan and see if that helps next time)

So today another one of my eggs piped, and I handled this egg yesterday, I didn't think it was ready to hatch since I set it a few days after my chickens, and I was showing my family how vibrant the blood vessels are. I know this baby is not ready to hatch, but how can I keep it from shrink wrapping in the meantime? (One of my other chicks shrinkwrapped and was solidified in the goo by the time I decided it was time to help him, he was dead by the time I tried to interfere)

Also I candled my duck eggs, they seem very active( a little too active, like they will hatch soon) but they have a good layer of albumen/goo/whites (not sure if spelled right) from what I saw candling them. I didn't see intense blood vessels either. but I was under the impression that the chick will take up most of the egg before they hatch, and never had this goo problem before. Any advice? I don't think I can lower my incubator temp this far into incubation and don't want to risk killing my ducks. Is there anything I can do otherwise?
 
21-22 days yeah. But most of those hatched on the 18-19th.

This can happen. Was the incubator temperature on the warm side? We're these bantams? Before you collected the eggs was a hen sitting on them?
I've had pips come on day 20 although the chicks didn't hatch until the 21st and some bantams did arrive on day 20, but never earlier.
 
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   This can happen.  Was the incubator temperature on the warm side?  We're these bantams?  Before you collected the eggs was a hen sitting on them?
     I've had pips come on day 20 although the chicks didn't hatch until the 21st and some bantams did arrive on day 20, but never earlier.

I'm guessing the temp was warm, my thermometer said it stayed at a fairly steady 99-100°f and the occasional 97°f after hand turning extra eggs. I think the thermometer is off a few degrees or that the incubator has hot spots and needs a fan. I couldn't imagine why the eggs would hatch so early otherwise. The eggs that are hatching are standard breeds, speckled Sussex, and a barnyard mix from my own flock piped today. (But was set a little bit later than the Sussex so still only about 18 days in the incubator. Though I'm hoping it stays in the egg and doesn't dry up so it can absorb the yolk)

I bought the eggs from a local farmer and she said no eggs were being sat on, a few were buried, but that's something her hens do I guess, my hens eggs were freshly laid and popped into the incubator that day.
 
I think you have ascertained the problem well. Early chicks generally mean warmer temps. My old lg always settled around 100-101 (forced air) and my hatches almost always started day 19/20. I had silkies that pipped day 18 in my silkie hatch. My chicks have always come out healthy though.
Whenever you do an assist or a pipped has a large area of membrane showing, if you put a light coat of Vaseline or non pain relief antibiotic (neosporin) on the membrane it keeps it from drying out and gluing to the chick.
 

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