Eggs not hatching

[MosureMom]

I have several young chickens laying eggs, so I decided to try to hatch some of them on my own since we clearly don't have a brooder hen. I went to the farm store my company rents space inside of, talked to several of the experienced chicken owners and picked up an incubator. I followed the instructions, let it sit for a couple days heated to make sure it would stay at the desired temp and what not. I filled the water basins in the bottom like I was told (which is spread evenly through the bottom off the incubator), and then put the eggs in. I have been turning them twice a day and candling them periodically. So then began the waiting period, I wrote down what day they were layed, and what their projected hatch date would be. When candling I couldn't really be sure if I was seeing anything or if my eyes were playing tricks on me. Almost all the eggs are I think what is called fairly porous? when I candled them the day I collected there were lots of dapple looking spots evenly throughout the eggs shell. So I began to see darkness overtaking the eggs, but never a shape that I could discern, just a darkness that over time began taking more space in the egg. I assumed they were developing well, and even began to see veins in some of them really close to hatching day (at this point all but one small space at one end was completely dark, and that is where I was seeing the veins) Well hatching day came and went...we are now ending day 27 and still no rocking or pipping or anything at all. The water basin in the bottom is still full and is evenly spread out through the bottom of the incubator. I finally decided to crack one open last night to see what was going wrong (I picked the one I though was dead) So I cracked open one end and carefully opened the solid white sack thing only to find a very much alive baby, but here is the concern, he is not even close to ready to hatch, he barely took up half the egg and his placenta thing is bigger than he/she is...I am so confused, I doubt he'll live, but I put the egg back together as best I could and taped it securely and put it back in... I'm just not sure why at day 27 they aren't even close to ready. They are all mixed, not sure which hens layed them, but the rooster is a Amberlink (not sure I spelled that right) My hens consist of Amerucanas (which I obviously know which eggs they layed) Red Crosses, a Silver and a Gold laced Wyandotte, Isa Browns, a Light Brahma, and a Amberlink. Not sure if breeds make any difference or if crossbreeding would. Any ideas would be great, right now I am just waiting it out. I know I lost several already because their eggs began smelling. Has anyone ever seen/experienced this before.

 

[FridayYet]

Hi MosureMom and Welcome to BYC!

What day did you actually put the eggs into the incubator? That should be day 0.

What temperature did you run the incubator at? Is it still-air or does it have a fan?

I'm guessing your humidity may have been way too high. Did you have a humidity gauge?

I've got a bunch of other questions, but there's a start!

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm sorry you're having this difficulty. Your first problem was in following the instructions that came with your incubator. Your second problem was believing your thermometer... the one that probably came with your incubator. Many people have such a first incubation experience. At this point, it's doubtful that even if your eggs continue to develop, that they will hatch out healthy chicks because, I'm guessing that your incubator temperature was way too low. Incubation is partly an art, and partly a matter of getting all of the education you can get, from reliable sources before you even plug in your incubator. So, moving forward, I have some suggestions for you:
1: Pay no attention to the instructions that came with your incubator, especially regarding putting water in the bottom. Most successful hatchers are now doing what is called "dry hatching".
2: Learn how to calibrate a thermometer. Based on the type of thermometer you have, there are several methods. Boiling water, Ice water, and my preferred method: calibrating at 100 degrees in a cup of water, using a good digital medical grade thermometer as your baseline. I believe that inaccurate thermometers are responsible for most failed hatches.
3: Learn how to calibrate a hygrometer, and use one. I believe that poor humidity control is responsible for many chicks dying in shell just before hatch.
4: Learn how to candle an egg, and learn how to adjust humidity to ensure that your air cells develop on target.

An excellent place to start with all of this knowledge is found in the Learning center. Look for: Hatching Eggs 101. Don't be discouraged. We all started with our first hatches. And we have all continued to hone our hatching skills. Don't give up, but go into your second hatch well armed for success!!! I wish you the best.

 

[MeepBeep]

First off IMO the most important step is to verify the temp, built in thermometers are notoriously inaccurate many times...

I'm guessing your temp is several degrees bellow the optimal 99.5°F is should be thus the slow development...

This is a decent and cheap thermometer you can pickup at any Walmart (in the fish isle) for a buck or two... I use these in my incubator as a reference and even use them in the brooder to monitor temps, they work well and the price is right...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Aquaculture-Glass-Aquarium-Thermometer/45081765

The above is nice because as you can see the bulb of the thermometer is packed with steel balls, this gives you a better average temp (what is important in an incubator) vs a thermometer that reacts to every slight change in temp as the heater cycles...

This is also very decent digital thermometer and humidity meter for the price if it fits in your incubator...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/AcuRite-Digital-Humidity-and-Temperature-Monitor/16888914

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have several young chickens laying eggs, so I decided to try to hatch some of them on my own since we clearly don't have a brooder hen. I went to the farm store my company rents space inside of, talked to several of the experienced chicken owners and picked up an incubator. I followed the instructions, let it sit for a couple days heated to make sure it would stay at the desired temp and what not. I filled the water basins in the bottom like I was told (which is spread evenly through the bottom off the incubator), and then put the eggs in. I have been turning them twice a day and candling them periodically. So then began the waiting period, I wrote down what day they were layed, and what their projected hatch date would be. When candling I couldn't really be sure if I was seeing anything or if my eyes were playing tricks on me. Almost all the eggs are I think what is called fairly porous? when I candled them the day I collected there were lots of dapple looking spots evenly throughout the eggs shell. So I began to see darkness overtaking the eggs, but never a shape that I could discern, just a darkness that over time began taking more space in the egg. I assumed they were developing well, and even began to see veins in some of them really close to hatching day (at this point all but one small space at one end was completely dark, and that is where I was seeing the veins) Well hatching day came and went...we are now ending day 27 and still no rocking or pipping or anything at all. The water basin in the bottom is still full and is evenly spread out through the bottom of the incubator. I finally decided to crack one open last night to see what was going wrong (I picked the one I though was dead) So I cracked open one end and carefully opened the solid white sack thing only to find a very much alive baby, but here is the concern, he is not even close to ready to hatch, he barely took up half the egg and his placenta thing is bigger than he/she is...I am so confused, I doubt he'll live, but I put the egg back together as best I could and taped it securely and put it back in... I'm just not sure why at day 27 they aren't even close to ready. They are all mixed, not sure which hens layed them, but the rooster is a Amberlink (not sure I spelled that right) My hens consist of Amerucanas (which I obviously know which eggs they layed) Red Crosses, a Silver and a Gold laced Wyandotte, Isa Browns, a Light Brahma, and a Amberlink. Not sure if breeds make any difference or if crossbreeding would. Any ideas would be great, right now I am just waiting it out. I know I lost several already because their eggs began smelling. Has anyone ever seen/experienced this before.

Like Friday, if you've had water in the bator and not monitoring the humidity or air cells I would suspect one problem is the humidity is too high. But even more importantly, if you are 27 days in and have chicks that aren't even formed for 21 days that signifies that your temps are way too low. Never trust an incubator gage or thermometer w/o checking it for accuracy even if it is brand new. Chances are you thought your temps were good while in fact, they were not. 99.5 for forced air and 101-102 for still taken near the tops of the eggs. Second if you are NOT in a high altitude and especially if you are using a styro bator, consider a low humidity incubation method and get a good hygrometer to measure the humidity and then check your air cells to make sure that the humidity is working for you. Here's some insight and hints to humidity: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
In my opinion, it is time to scrap those eggs and start anew, especially if there are smellers in there. At day 27 regardless of what is alive at this point, the chances are that they will not ever make it to hatch and if they did you would most likely be faced with deformities and weak chicks that would die after hatch.

I'm sorry if I repeated any info that may already be in comments above me as posts were made as I was typing and most likely am repeating others.

 

[MosureMom]

I wasn't sure all what info you all needed.

1. The eggs went in when I gathered them/same day they were layed
2. The incubator is a still air, the temp was kept at 100 deg. F (this is based off of a separate thermometer that lays on the top of the eggs...the built in one I didn't trust)
3. I didn't know about the humidity which may be the problem, I didn't read anything in my searching about it, and no guage was provided so I didn't know.


Thank You all for your responding by the way...I will read suggested info below and see if I can get a better turn out with the next group.

 

[FridayYet]

Good luck with your next hatch! Sorry this one didn't go well.

I highly recommend Amy's article above for anyone hatching in a styrofoam incubator.

 

[MosureMom]

Ok, so apparently two just hatched, and a third one on the way. So I guess we'll see how they turn out. So far they seem quite healthy, the two that are out popped out pretty quick. Our cat alerted us to something going on in the incubator and when I looked one was just finishing getting out, and another one had put a dent in his/her egg, within about 5 min she was out. The third one however is taking a bit longer.

 

[MosureMom]

So I now have 8 baby chicks, and more on the way...some of them I guess decided they were ready and popped out, a few others died and several I guess either weren't fertile or died very early in the development stage, I still have 23 eggs in the bator, 3 of them are just starting to peep, and several more are moving a little...So far everyone is healthy. Although this group is turning out good even though very late, I will plan on re-reading the listed above articles and see if I can do better for the next batch when I'm ready to do it again...I am really hoping I get a brooder from this group, and am looking to see where I can get my hands on an already matured brooder. Thank you all for the help.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So I now have 8 baby chicks, and more on the way...some of them I guess decided they were ready and popped out, a few others died and several I guess either weren't fertile or died very early in the development stage, I still have 23 eggs in the bator, 3 of them are just starting to peep, and several more are moving a little...So far everyone is healthy. Although this group is turning out good even though very late, I will plan on re-reading the listed above articles and see if I can do better for the next batch when I'm ready to do it again...I am really hoping I get a brooder from this group, and am looking to see where I can get my hands on an already matured brooder. Thank you all for the help.

Congrats on the hatchers!!! Glad to hear that you have chicks!!!