Failed hatch with graphic Eggtopsy

[chookcomplex]

A follow up to this post https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/eggs-not-hatching-day-21-5.1561145/#post-26490825

13 out of 14 eggs hatched which is quite catastrophic but I'm going to try and do it better this time.

Here are some conditions of the hatch:
- Incubator used
- Temperatures throughout the hatch kept stable at 37.6 degrees Celcius according to the incubator thermometer which I calibrated with another thermometer. Humidity is measured by the incubator's in built meter but I have no other humidity calibrating tool.
- Humidity was kept at 45%-55% pre-lock down although occassionally it would go up to 60-70 on four ocassions when adding water was overdone.
Is that high humidity dangerous for the hatch?
- At days 5, 10 and 18 i candled by hurriedly picked up the eggs one by one out of the incubator. I have no idea if I was too roughly handling them but I feared the temperature drop taking the lid off: I'm not sure when this temperature drops become dangerous.
- At lockdown day at day 18, I removed the automatic turners and let the eggs sit at 37.6 degrees Celcius and kept humidity at 65% - 80%. On one ocassion overnight, the humidity dropped to 45% and another morning it was at 60% but as soon as I noticed, I added warm water.
- Despite my monitoring of the humidity, weight loss % of the eggs at lockdown proceeded much quicker than I expected. 70% of my eggs had hit 11-13% weight loss by day 15 so I compensated by keeping humidity at 55%
- Egg average weight at beginning about 43g
- Oldest eggs 7 days old
- The eggs used were the first eggs laid by my hens

Upon cracking open 5 eggs to inspect the casualties, I found:
2 which were just yolks,
2 had embryos the size of a thumbnail floating around
1 was highly developed, like an 18 day old one but had quite a bit of yolk left over the absorb. The membrane which I've never inspected before was quite leathery but I guess it's moot since it never internally pipped.

Any insight would be appreciated. I probably did something wrong, I read that on normal hatches 75% success is good but I didn't quite expect 90% to fail this time.

 

[Chiquita Gallina]

My first time incubating “12” (9 viable ones) most were Serama eggs, I had 6 chicks who made it ,4 Seramas/2 Turkens (2 eggs were not fertile,1 had a not-visible crack which started to sip on Day 10). After reading a few articles about how to keep the humidity, I kept humidity at 50-60% through Day 15(took 2 eggs out with “ring of death”) ,and close to 70-80% after that….were I live is very Dry, and that was the recommendation. On Day 18 (lockdown), I removed turner, and I think I had lotion residue in my fingers that got into chick and died. None of the chicks were in need of assistance. Two hatched on Day 19, 3 on Day 20 and 1 on Day 21.

 

[relicshunter]

I feel humidity is the main controllable reason for failure. I don't know what state you are in but I am in FL and the air is humid enough on it's own without adding water. You started out with first laid eggs which can be weak to start with. You looked at 5 eggs and two were not fertile, two grow a little and stopped and one grew most of the way but based on how the fluid looks it passed a few days earlier. You had good weight loss despite excessive humidity (in my opinion) Don't over think the humidity, I think that's where a lot of people go wrong. I dry hatch up until the lock down then add water. I run between 35-45% without water here in FL. The chick has to have the proper fluid loss to be able to move and develop correctly. Have you checked the incubator temp on an independent thermometer? They can be off a bit. I am thinking you meant to say at the top 13 out of 14 did not make it. How many were fertile out of that?

 

[Kiki]

Temperature spikes will kill much quicker than humidity spikes.

Get another thermometer to calibrate and keep all three in your incubator at all times.
One quick glance in to the bator will give you a better idea if there are hot spots instead of moving one thermometer around.

Did you salt test your humidity gauge?

 

[KelseyBoxer]

I have had disappointing hatches when using eggs from young hens. Some people think that hatching a "pullet" egg is a challenge, most of the time the eggs don't develop or quit early. Follow the good advice from Kiki above and best of luck next time.

 

[Wonder Quails]

Humidity and Temp are the 2 most important factors. If you like in a rea where it is humid, you shouldn't be really adding too much water to the incubator. Also, is the temp goes up or down too long, it can also affect hatching rate. Good Luck Next Time!