Failure at Hatching Shipped Eggs---Tips/Rules Please

[ChickaDiva]

Out of 109 shipped eggs and 3 hatchs over the last several months, I have 7 chicks to show for it. We have followed all the rules and instructions as far as I can telll...continuing to adjust temps and relative humidity, buying a hygrometer, ensuring proper handling and prep of eggs on arrival, locking down on day 18. My hubby thinks it may be because I've interfered (minimally

) on a couple of chicks who pipped and then nothing after 12-14 hours. I've had great success (90%) with my own lakenvelder eggs.

These little ones have been silkies, barnevelders, mille fleurs, amd other small heritage bantam breeds. Candling at 18 days they're about 60% viable. Then we check post failure and the majority are perfect little chickies that just didn't hatch. I'm using an automatic turning, self--regulating incubator.

Please say something to reassure me...it is heartbreaking burying these little beauties

. I want to find a reason to try again but......

Thank you in advance.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I assume you analyze your eggs after hatch to try to fugure out what went wrong. These links may help you understand what you are seeing and what you might do about it.

Mississippi State Incubation Troubleshooting
http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/troubleshooting_incubation.pdf

Florida Incubation Troubleshooting
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa204

I realize you have had better success with your eggs so all that may not help you. Shipped eggs are hard. Many things are not in your control and there are lots of opportunities for things to go wrong. You may have just had a lousy run of luck. But if you are getting 60% viability at day 18, you should get more than 7% hatch rate.

I have had chicks pip and do nothing for more than 12 to 14 hours and then hatch. Positioning itself for hatch then pipping is hard work. Some of them need to rest a long time after going through all that effort. And if you open the incubator to help them, you could be shrink-wrapping others. Analysis of the unhatched eggs should tell you if they are shrink-wrapped.

Good luck!

 

[debilorrah]

Can you tell us what your temperature and humidity levels were during the hatches? Were the eggs in good condition when they arrived? Did they quit or were they not viable to start with?