Fully Developed Chicks/But not hatching

[New2chickensnky]

I have a question. Out of every hatch we have had , we have some eggs that do not hatch, we always crack them open at the end around day 25 or longer to insure they are not going to hatch , and they are fully developed and feathered out , but they never piped or nothing. What could be causing this. Just this last hatch , that ran over by 3 days or so , we had 9 that were like this out of 21, 1 that stoped early on after last candle day , and then rest hatched out fine. Does anyone know what causes this or if there is anything that we can do to try to prevent this? Thanks

 

[New2chickensnky]

OH yeah , hubby just reminded me that the inside of the eggs were a bit dry too but humity was fine during hatching , even put a sponge in there with them to aide in that.

 

[ChickenTender63]

do you know for sure what your humidity was? I have seen different folks need it to be either higher or lower depending upon various conditions.

There is no text book answer for proper humidity levels.

 

[sara]

Quote:
I might suggest if they are hatching 3 days late, then you might have a temp problem. Maybe your measuring tool is off?

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Were there any indications that the chick had a peep on the egg ? Sometimes, the inner lining of the shell is too tough for the chick to break through. Usually a chick will "peep" an egg and try to get an air hole. They then rest for quite awhile. When i see a peep I go ahead and take twizzers and remove that portion and make SURE the inner linning has a hole in it. Is if does not I put one in very carefully as the chicks head is usually right there. I then let nature takes its course for 24 hours. If the chick is chirping and still can not get out I go a little further. I NEVER take a chick out of the egg shell. I let them do this on their own. Sometimes when it is a really big chick i help it out by unfolding the head. Then I carefully lay the egg and chick back in the bator. I have noticed that the chicks are still developing even while they are hatching. They must absorb the yolk sack at the opposite end of the air pocket. If you take them out, they will bleed from the umbillical cord and most die. I have seen hatched chicks carry the bottom half of the egg shell around with them until the cord seperates. Sometimes if I see the cord has no blood in it I will take cutical scissors and carefully cut it. The last clutch hatch i had was a 100 percent success using these methods.

 

[New2chickensnky]

There was no peeping in the egg shell , and this was the only hatch that was 3 days late , even though we have had this problem in all our hatches, I am unsure of the humity level, we just make sure we add water every day it needs it , and we do what we are supposed to do. The temp was fine all the way through the hatches , as it was with this last one , we still can not figuare out the 3 day last thing but it is ok , they are all fine.. I think that I would pass out slick if I ever had 100% hatch ..

 

[kodiakchicken]

Are your hatching eggs all from the same parents or have you had different types/lineages? If they are all the same maybe there is something that just causes weekness in the chicks at hatching. If they are various types of chickens then it's something external.

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
It would be very helpful if you get a hum gauge so you know what the hum is, That is a very important part of the incubation. You can pick one up at walmart for 8$-10$.

This might help also ..... https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html


Also what is your temp at ?? Do you have a still air incubator ??

Its also very important that your hum is high enough on day 18 or the chicks will stick to there shell and not hatch !!

 

[New2chickensnky]

We had a digital one and it was not reading right or something so we stoped using it. It is a still air one , we actually have 2 that we hatch from year round.

Let me ask a crazy question... I know when you are at day 18, you are to take the other plug out by what the book says, but what would happen if you left that in there , wouldn't it make the mositure stay in better?

The temp stays at a constant 99.5 like the book says all the way through the hatch. I know some one told us it should be 100-100.5 but we went by the book on all our hatches.

To the one who ask about the parents , yes , we used the RIR and the Red Stars in all of our past hatches , this time we have some different types, but so far it was just those two, not sure which ones this seems to be happening to more , or if it is both or just one. I never really thought to look, my hubby just said he thinks it has been both the RIR and Red Star babies.

Thanks ..

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
The temp in a still air can be between 100 - 102, Look in the book again and double check if it says 99.5 or 99.9 (I think it would say 99.9) But I could be wrong !! As far as the vent holes go they both should be open day18-21, air flow is VERY important !!
Did you keep 1 vent opne day 1-18?

From what your problems are it seems like the temp is to low, but there could be MANY reasons for chicks to not hatch. Sometimes its just b/c they arent strong enough and that is how nature keeps them from being a weak chicken. Its not always something we do wrong !!

Look at this info and see if it help any... http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AA204