Hands on hatching and help

Two difficult hatches. But, could be worse. I had 13 eggs hatching last weekend, and lost three. I read here where people lose all and that is heartbreaking.

The two I lost at hatch- I tried to help out when it seemed they were ready and no blood, but I did get a drop of blood and waited. Neither made it. They died in the shell. One of those pipped upside down in a spot where I don't think she could get proper air. My incubator, I love,( Majic-fly10) but I need to make some kind of mesh at the bottom as it is foam. Never had this happen before. One other chick died at day two suddenly of what seems to be heart attack- went weak after I picked her up for a minute and then collapsed and died. The rest are fine.

This weekend, I had 13 hatching. I was using my styrofoam still air. The first four hatched out, and then the other 9 sat for 24 hours with two pips on hatch day until the next morning. Because of last weekend, feeling that I killed two trying to assist, I decided to be hands off. I went out yesterday on day 22 and when I got home, one of the pipped eggs was out and one was dead in the shell with about an inch zipped. One other smaller Ameraucana egg had pipped and hatched. The other 6 were fully developed, and dead in shell. I candled and tried putting small air holes in the air sac as I read on here. No life, no pips. No sound coming from the egg. Some had gotten through the membrane into the air sac, and a couple never did. I am thinking it was humidity. If anyone has any other thoughts, I welcome them. I am retiring the still air now, except for using it as a warmer for chicks between brooder and incubator if I need it.

I have had much more trouble with the styrofoam bator temperature and humidity and have to watch it constantly so it does not cook eggs if the room temperature varies at all. I had almost 100% success last season, mostly using my magicfly. It is disappointing to have fully formed healthy chicks not make it out in those last hours after watching over them for those three weeks and seeing them moving in the shells.
I ordered bought another generic version of my magic fly and will avoid the LG now, if possible.
So, my experiment of not helping was not a big success. It helps me feel better about the failures in helping, at least. There have been a few, mostly due to my lack of experience at this.

 

Um, mist 'em? We're supposed to mist 'em? How did I miss that little tidbit of information in the hours and hours on here?

 

Yes, me too. I run 75% at "lockdown" and once my first chick hatches I am at 85%. But it has been working good for me. My last several hatches have been great. The only thing is, like you also said, it takes the chicks a long time to dry. Once I was hatching in the mini and it was very full. The octagon 20 was empty. So I turned it on, no water and as the chicks hatched I moved them right to the 20. That batch of chicks were literally the fluffiest chicks I have ever seen in my life! Lol.

Yes, I've had great luck with loose air cells. But these are totally detached. But I really would love them to hatch. Ugh. It's so sad what shipping does to eggs. Like you said, I still set them. I'll still try even though I know the odds.

Can you still see blood vessels? Does the chick move around when you gently turn the egg? Like it swishes around? It might just be the picture and I'm hoping it is...but it looks like it might have quit. Check for the veining. If it still has good veins then it's probably ok. But if it looks like veins are receeded or there are no more veins, then it would be dead.

Make sure you calibrate it yourself even if it's brand new.

X2! I take advantage of the high humidity to open and take out shells, candle unpipped eggs and turn over pipped eggs. If there is condensation I take a paper towel and wipe it off before closing it up again. When I first got my octagon 20 and I was struggling to keep humidity at 60-65%, I hated it!! I felt I couldn't open the incubator and I really needed too, as 1 egg was having issues. Ended up boiling pots of water in the kitchen to up ambient humidity. It was a pain! Much prefer it high, so I can open needed.

 

I run humidity at 75 or 80 at hatch. Seems to be good usually. I did not check it on Saturday as i did not want to open the bator no the day the eggs did not make it. So not sure. I will find a way to position my meter where I can see it next time. What do you think is ideal??

 

Well all the more power to you for running your humidity so high, but for me, not an option with loosen 10 baby call ducks at 80 in one shot.. I would never risk it again.

 

What did you have the temp on with the Still??

 

its depends if your running your humidity around 50-55 or higher, you DON"T want to mist them. If your running it lower, once a week is fine. i run mine at 20% and will spray mine once a week, to much will cause sticky babies as well as to high of a humidity.