First Time Egg Candler Scared!

[AmyLynn2374]

Maybe that's why it's only 75%

Oh yeah, forgot:

lol

 

[scflock]

lol

You really need to start that right wing/wrong wing thread so we can stop jacking everyone else's

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You really need to start that right wing/wrong wing thread so we can stop jacking everyone else's

Wrong wing/left wing you say??

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You know as as well as I do, we'll still be "jacking" everyone else's thread...lol

 

[scflock]

Wrong wing/left wing you say??

I've been trying to think of a topic. A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll?

 

[scflock]

You know as as well as I do, we'll still be "jacking" everyone else's thread...lol

If you'd quit following me around, playing your pan flute, tossing flower petals, and dumping all the water, we wouldn't have this problem

 

[sideWing]

I'm not being a smartbutt, but that's exactly why I started shopping for a more expensive incubator. A temp near 103 could have definitely killed the late quitters, especially if they were closer to the heating element. I always wonder about the early quitters. I don't know why some of them stop while the others keep going. Could be a genetic issue, maybe the eggs weren't turned enough if they were collected several days before setting. I hate to see that myself, but it seems that's always a part of it. I average 2-4 that don't hatch, and they are usually fully developed with no pip. I don't even eggtopsy any more. I just look at it like they weren't meant to hatch. Sorry about your lost eggs, but at least you did get some healthy ones out of it

I'm totally open to feedback and I really appreciate it. The problem with my temp spike was my 3 yo. When you have chicks hatching a 3 yo it's hard to keep them away.

I'm building a new bigger bator with an automatic turner I found localy for $25. I will start with some neighbors sexlink eggs. (I know they won't be sexlink chicks

) and sell them as backyard chickens.

So sorry for your loss.

As you were breaking them open, when you peeled the chick out of its fetal position, did you notice if the beak was actually under the wing or not? And if it was close enough to the air cell? One of my last ones was totally absorbed and looked ready, but its head was down on its chest. Beak never made it under the wing, so there's no way it could have pecked out. And while that may explain why it didn't actually get out, it doesn't explain why it didn't put its beak under its wing to begin with!! Maybe too big, maybe mental defect, maybe stuck??

Its sad to know that they got "so close"... and I think we do learn by eggtopsies, but I'm not sure I will do any more of them. As long as I am getting good healthy ones, I don't think I will ever understand why some don't make it. I chalk it up to being what is meant to be.

There were some with the beak under the wing and some with their face next to the membrane. I won't continue to do eggtopsies as long as I can find out what went wrong. Thanks you for the feedback.

A couple still looked overly wet, The early quitters are hard to tell. Could be temp, could be bacteria could be genetics. I will say I agree with SC, it's part of hatching. I average about 3 per hatch. Usually all between days 19-21. Because there are so many variables among eggs (porousity, shell thickness, size) they are as individual in their needs as we in ours and we can't give every egg in the incubator exactly what they need. While one egg may need more humidity it's buddy may need less. We can only serve the majority, unfortunelty, which leaves some at a disadvantage and for them less than optimal conditions for their individual needs.

I'm glad you did have the hatchers that you did. Next time you will have a better idea of what's what and I am betting you will see less of this.

Thank you Amy. I'm not so worried about the early quitters, that happens. I didn't expect 100% hatch, but I do expect more than 50% from a good batch of eggs. I'm happy with a successful first hatch, but I'm shooting for 75%-80% in the future. Do you think I ran the incubator too dry with the shrink wrapped guy? Or is it just that some will be shrink wrapped and some won't? Like you said, some were really wet.

You two are always welcome to hijack my threads. Heck, this isn't even my thread!

So it seems the general consensus is temp spike? I can live with that since I found a better place to put it away from my sweet 3yo.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I'm totally open to feedback and I really appreciate it. The problem with my temp spike was my 3 yo. When you have chicks hatching a 3 yo it's hard to keep them away.

I'm building a new bigger bator with an automatic turner I found localy for $25. I will start with some neighbors sexlink eggs. (I know they won't be sexlink chicks

) and sell them as backyard chickens.
There were some with the beak under the wing and some with their face next to the membrane. I won't continue to do eggtopsies as long as I can find out what went wrong. Thanks you for the feedback.

Thank you Amy. I'm not so worried about the early quitters, that happens. I didn't expect 100% hatch, but I do expect more than 50% from a good batch of eggs. I'm happy with a successful first hatch, but I'm shooting for 75%-80% in the future. Do you think I ran the incubator too dry with the shrink wrapped guy? Or is it just that some will be shrink wrapped and some won't? Like you said, some were really wet.

You two are always welcome to hijack my threads. Heck, this isn't even my thread!

So it seems the general consensus is temp spike? I can live with that since I found a better place to put it away from my sweet 3yo.

I just think that egg was probably more porous. I had TWO silkie eggs that did that in my last hatch. One of those things that you can't adjust for because the majority was good and had plenty of moisture. More than likely the spike in the loss of moisture happened after lockdown anyway. The two I had looked fine at lockdown, 2 days later the air cell was 3/4 of the egg and they were shrinkwrapped just like your little guy.

I think, now that you have a little more experience under your belt, with a solid humidity plan at the start and solid temps you'll find you will meet that 75%+ rate you are striving for. At least my fingers are crossed that you will.

Now, for the thread jacking, @scflock our thread is up: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/978237/she-said-he-said-whos-right-whos-wrong-no-one There. It's early, but it's up!

 

[sideWing]

I just think that egg was probably more porous. I had TWO silkie eggs that did that in my last hatch. One of those things that you can't adjust for because the majority was good and had plenty of moisture. More than likely the spike in the loss of moisture happened after lockdown anyway. The two I had looked fine at lockdown, 2 days later the air cell was 3/4 of the egg and they were shrinkwrapped just like your little guy.

I think, now that you have a little more experience under your belt, with a solid humidity plan at the start and solid temps you'll find you will meet that 75%+ rate you are striving for. At least my fingers are crossed that you will.

Now, for the thread jacking, @scflock our thread is up: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/978237/she-said-he-said-whos-right-whos-wrong-no-one There. It's early, but it's up!

You know i've been thinking about it and they were not that shrink wrapped until after day 21. On day 22 I candled and the air cell was normal. By day 24 the air cell was 50% of the egg. Humidity at 75% how could they have lost so much moisture?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You know i've been thinking about it and they were not that shrink wrapped until after day 21. On day 22 I candled and the air cell was normal. By day 24 the air cell was 50% of the egg. Humidity at 75% how could they have lost so much moisture?

I'm not sure the physics of it, I just know it's what I have experienced...lol It probably has more to do with o2 x co2 exchange in the last few days then it does humidity. That would be my guess. It is ironic that they loose that much when the humidity is so high, but I haven't researched that far-yet....lol