Final Tally of Third Attempt at Hatching

[Lizz9311]

So, I recently finalized my third attempt at hatching in a still air Little Giant incubator.

Hatched: 1
Blood ring: 1
Not viable: 1
Early Quitter: 1
Late Quitter: 7
Late Quitter with Internal Pip: 1

The one chick that hatched is doing wonderfully, if a bit lonely. I poured over all my notes about what I think went wrong and I came to my final conclusion: during lock down we had a mega heat wave that drove me to shut up the house and install a window AC unit in my living room. This means the window fan I had installed in the room where the incubator was had been removed and the window was shut, thus eliminating the air circulation in the room.

Am I wrong? Could something else have caused the late deaths? I mean, out of the 8 that I opened at the end only one wasn't fully formed. The rest were fully formed, including the one with an internal pip. There was no sign of excess liquid in the eggs and no sign of shrink-wrapping. Could the removal of air circulation have caused them all to die like that? I was obsessive about my humidity and temp, which stayed pretty stable throughout the whole thing.

 

[chickeemama]

I can't answer your why, but I can tell you that I have had similar results with my last 2 hatches..so first I calibrated my 2 hygrometers, 1 is a GQF and the other a Walmart temp/humidity. With the salt/water calibration test they were off by 20+, so when I thought my humity was 70 - 75, it actually was 90-95%. I did eggtopsy and did not really see any signs of to much moisture...but the viewing window of the cooler bator had water droplets on it the entire time.
Sooo...this week I try again, I have had the humidity reading 40 -45, which is actually calculated out to 60 -65%. Added 2 more 5/8" vent holes to improve ventilation. Put 19 egg in lockdown, today is DAY 21. 3 are hatched since 8a.m. No more signs of pips, these are my own eggs, so I know they were fresh. I would like to get it figured out as well. I is down right nerve racking!!!

 

[Lizz9311]

Goodness! Such a difference!

I calibrated my gauges before incubation this last time, so I know my readings were accurate. And I didn't get the condensation on the viewing windows.

I hope you get a better hatch this time!

 

[chickeemama]

Ok 3 more hatched today (day 22). Wasn't a pip of any kind this morning, now this evening 3 new babies. 13 more eggs - no pips, I am leaving them be until tomorrow....here is to wishing!!!

 

[Bryam]

Are these shipped eggs? I had gotten 2 live chicks from 24 eggs, 13 eggs the chick died around day 18, just when I removed them from the automatic turner. Maybe I should have left them in it? Anyone find you get better results with shipped eggs when you leave the hatch in the automatic egg turner?

 

[Lizz9311]

Are these shipped eggs? I had gotten 2 live chicks from 24 eggs, 13 eggs the chick died around day 18, just when I removed them from the automatic turner. Maybe I should have left them in it? Anyone find you get better results with shipped eggs when you leave the hatch in the automatic egg turner?

Not shipped eggs. All of them were from my flock. I'm fairly confident that it was the fan that caused the issue. I'm going to clean the incubator and try once more, this time being sure to keep a fan in the room at all times.

I have never experienced hatching shipped eggs, but I have read elsewhere on the forum that some people find leaving shipped eggs in the turner, but turning it off, does help with hatch. From what I read it's especially helpful if the air cells were having issues when you received the eggs.

 

[Bryam]

Okay, next time I will leave then in the turner when they hatch, ofcourse with it level and turned off!