fully formed baby chickens didn't hatch

[cajuneal]

Trying to find out why my eggs didn't hatch. Using little giant still air incubator with auto turner. Temp stayed at 99.5. Humidity stayed at 50-60%. I heard chicks peeping but they never even attempted to peck their way out. I removed turner on day 18. Waited till day 25 and removed eggs. Almost all had baby's. What did I do wrong? What didn't they even try to peck their way out? Help me please. I've now put quail eggs in and am getting conflicting advice on humidity. One tells me to keep humidity high and others are telling me the opposite. Someone please give me advice on what to do. I'm on day 2 for my quail eggs.:/

 

[lazy gardener]

Sorry for your failed hatch. First, with a still air, you want your temp to be 101 - 102*. If your temp is not high enough, your chicks will not have their organ systems developing at the right speed to support life. The reason why so many folks are recommending a dry hatch, which really isn't a "DRY" hatch, but a "reduced humidity for the first 18 days" hatch, is the end result seems to be better. Have you read "hatching 101" in the Learning center? It's full of good material to help your next hatch be a success. If chicks develop with too much humidity, they tend to grow too big, and can't position well for the hatch. Their air cells are too small, and don't hold as much air for those first critical breaths. The air cell needs to hold enough air to last the chick sometimes up to 24 hours. Also, if the egg is too wet inside, when the chick pips into the air cell, he often gets a rush of liquid instead of the air that he needs if he's going to successfully hatch. Did you open up the failed eggs? There's also an excellent article about how to do an eggtopsy and figure out what went wrong with the hatch.

As far as your quail, your best bet is to read that Learning Center material. Then follow up by doing some thread searches regarding specifics of hatching quail. Have you looked at the quail threads?

 

[cajuneal]

Well the lady I got the quail eggs from is keeping her humidity at 100% but everything I've read is telling me the humidity should be around 35-45% for the first 16 days, then bring it up over 80% the day I remove the turner. I'm afraid the high humidity is what caused my chickens not to hatch. I'm getting conflicting advice so I'm at a complete loss as to what the best procedure is.

 

[lazy gardener]

Since the high humidity didn't work for you, try the "dry hatch". So much of the "because they say so" advice that we hear may be based on the mere fact that "that's the way it's always been done." I can't tell you about hatching quail, but lots of folks will give you testimony about how their hatch percentages have gone up by keeping the humidity down for the first 18 days. You're going to have to do the research, and then make your own decision.

 

[cajuneal]

Thanks for your advice. I did go to the learning center and it did clarify a few things for me. I feel a little more confident about this hatch so wish me luck.

 

[lazy gardener]

 

[scflock]

Lazy Gardner covered it all. I can't believe someone mentioned dry hatching and AmyLynn isn't here. She must be in the phone booth putting on her cape

 

[lazy gardener]

I know. For the most part, I just sit back and twiddle my thumbs now. "AAAAMMMMMYYYYY! WHERE ARE YOU?????"

 

[scflock]

I know. For the most part, I just sit back and twiddle my thumbs now. "AAAAMMMMMYYYYY! WHERE ARE YOU?????"

She just posted on the LG thread. She's probably typing away right now.

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[scflock]