my final results...this was my first attempt to incubate.
started with 22 eggs
3 infertile
2 quit day 4
lockdown with 17 eggs, 16 moving when candled
hatch was 6 healthy chicks who hatched on their own
3 healthy chicks that i helped hatch out
1 self-hatcher with umbilical hernia that didn't make it
1 quit after pipping and partial zipping
for a total of 9 alive and healthy
eggtopsied the 6 left in the bator
1 quit about day 14
5 made it to day 20 and were fully formed but never internally pipped or drew in their yolk sacs
i am baffled about what happened at the end. no temp swings of more than one degree, humidity steady at 60-70%, and darnit they got to the very end and quit. i want to try again and do better but am not sure what to change. the eggs were shipped but i don't see how that would be a factor when they made it to day 20. what could it be? i should have had an amazing first hatch...16 out of 19 eggs (i don't count the infertiles against myself) and something happened. anyone have any idea what it might be?
ps-i am incredibly thankful for 9 perfect babies!