eggs have not hatched

[Kedreeva]

I think most late stage deaths are caused by not enough humidity. The chick needs maximum moisture, to be able to wiggle around inside and unzip it's way out.

This sounds like it was responsible for the problem. If you know eggs are going to be hatching soon, about 3 days beforehand you should be locking down the incubator and not opening it at all. Add extra water before this, so that your humidity is in the 65-70% range for hatch.

 

[AugeredIn]

Can I ask what incubator you are using? I really don't think humidity is a mortality issue during incubation(unless you are at extremes) until the egg is piped. My experience is that early mortality in peafowl eggs is due to temperature spikes.

Backyard Poultry magazine (april/may) has an excellent article on incubation and egg development.

 

[cscm]

If a bacteria were the culprit I would think the egg would stink n rupture. Most eggs het jared around by the mothers naturally and a little cooler when hen gets off nest to eat ect. I'm betting on humidity n mother nature mix

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I've spoken to several high profile pea breeders and 1 of them said he keeps his humidity at 50% all the time,never increases it during hatch,,which makes me wonder how can a sitting hen increase the humidity on the eggs she's sitting on??????

 

[AugeredIn]

Most of the information I have seen and the folks I have spoken to say humidity increases because the the hen stops turning the eggs and will actually stop getting off the eggs during lockdown. This eliminates the air exchange that occurs during the periods when she gets up to eat/drink or turn the eggs and raises the humidity.

 

[Kedreeva]

Augeredin is correct- the hen stops getting off the nest, I assume when she hears peeing or feels them moving in the eggs to get into position to pip. This would, ideally, be when we stop turning and go into lockdown, rather than a set period of time, but since we aren't in contact with the eggs that point is hard to tell

 

[krazykatz13]

I got the incubator at Tractor Supply. It is foam with 2 windows in the top and little wells for water and a metal screen over the wells. I also purchased the turner to go with it as I knew I would not remember to turn them myself. I checked the other eggs and saw movement in 3 of them yesterday. I put wet hand towels on the screen and then put the turning rack on those to hopefully increase the humidity. I think they were too dry. I have chicken eggs in there as well and one just pipped yesterday so I may have to open it soon to get the baby chick out!! How long after pipping does it usually take for the chicks to hatch out completely?

 

[zazouse]

sorry you babies didn 't hatch, i know you are so sad about it.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

If after 24 hrs from pipping and the chick isn't out,,I perform a shell breakout rescue.All chicks are diffrent but from pip to out shouldn't take more than 24 hours

 

[Lil Zoo]

I have done chicken eggs, my first experience was 2 hatched out of 20. I was checking them all the time. My second I candled at about 8 days only opened to fill water tray and take the turner out for lockdown. Candled before lockdown. I added a small bowl of water filled all trays opened the second vent and stuck a damp wash cloth over to the side. Never opened untill second morning to take fluffy chicks out very quickly. One other thing I did was make it not as easy for the first chick to push around the other eggs while hatching. I had 26 out of 28 hatch they kind of lingered hatching out from 1st afternoon till second afternoon. I am now trying peafowl eggs. My electricity went off second night they were in the incubator can see why one of those alarms might be well worth investing in. I was just sick. I have seen many claim these eggs should lay on their sides. I found a picture to attach plastic canvas on turner to hold eggs, I did this. It also said that isn't enough for peafowl eggs they should be turned 180 degrees end over end 3 to 5 times a day. Not sure myself what is right. I candled today 8th day. I seen air sac well developed and black blob like the chicken eggs, but no veins. These eggs are darker so maybe the veins aren't as visible. Will continue to cross my fingers. Believe me I feel like a new mom waiting on her first child. I do think the second hatch of chickens went better because I left them alone. I have 6 more peafowl eggs coming for second incubator. These are being shipped so that is another obsticle. It might end up to be more profitable to buy the peachicks we will see. lil zoo