Hands on hatching and help

[WVduckchick]

Hello.
I hope someone can help me. I'm a first time hatcher of fresh eggs from a farm.

Last week one of the eggs at 22 days sunk in the water test, but within seconds was wiggling. So we gave it one more day and then it didn't wiggle. We assisted it and it was not breathing, and had its full sack still.

What did we do wrong?

We have one today that is at 22 days and it also sank in the water, but strong wiggles. What can I do now to keep it alive? Assist?

We have a home made incubator that is having temp fluxs from 98 to 101, and humidity of 55.

Have 7 more eggs that are looking strong due on the 8th.

Thank you

@americantasha

Your humidity is too high. The egg is not losing enough moisture (therefore the sinking) and the chick is staying too wet to absorb its yolk.

Drop the humidity wayyyy down. 25-30%

edit to add -- I mean 25-30% until day 18. What did you run it at for the first 18 days?

 

[americantasha]

@americantasha


Your humidity is too high.  The egg is not losing enough moisture (therefore the sinking) and the chick is staying too wet to absorb its yolk.

Drop the humidity wayyyy down.  25-30%

edit to add -- I mean 25-30% until day 18.  What did you run it at for the first 18 days?

For the first 18 days it was at 45 50. Then we increased it to 65. But our water heater thermostat is having fluxs in temp that we are working on controlling.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hello.
I hope someone can help me. I'm a first time hatcher of fresh eggs from a farm.

Last week one of the eggs at 22 days sunk in the water test, but within seconds was wiggling. So we gave it one more day and then it didn't wiggle. We assisted it and it was not breathing, and had its full sack still.

What did we do wrong?

We have one today that is at 22 days and it also sank in the water, but strong wiggles. What can I do now to keep it alive? Assist?

We have a home made incubator that is having temp fluxs from 98 to 101, and humidity of 55.

Have 7 more eggs that are looking strong due on the 8th.

Thank you

@americantasha


Your humidity is too high.  The egg is not losing enough moisture (therefore the sinking) and the chick is staying too wet to absorb its yolk.

Drop the humidity wayyyy down.  25-30%

edit to add -- I mean 25-30% until day 18.  What did you run it at for the first 18 days?

For the first 18 days it was at 45 50. Then we increased it to 65. But our water heater thermostat is having fluxs in temp that we are working on controlling.

My advice mimics WV. It sounds as though your humidity is too high therefore your eggs did not loose enough moisture which in turn means that the air cell did not grow. The air cell is what determines wether an egg will float or sink. The air sell wasn't big enough to make it float. When your egg does not loose enough moisture and the air cell doesn't grow enough the chicks often drown at hatch time on the excess fluid in the egg. High humidity often results in higher percentage of malpos as the chicks grow too big and can't properly turn when it's time.

The biggest adjustments I would recommend is getting the temps stable and dropping the humidity as WV recommended. I use 25-30% the first 17 days and up it to 70-75% for lockdown/hatch. Best way to know how and when to adjust humidity for your eggs (different rates work for different people), is to let your air cells guide you. I'll add a link to explain more about this humidity method.
http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

 

[BYC910]

Hello.
I hope someone can help me. I'm a first time hatcher of fresh eggs from a farm.

Last week one of the eggs at 22 days sunk in the water test, but within seconds was wiggling. So we gave it one more day and then it didn't wiggle. We assisted it and it was not breathing, and had its full sack still.

What did we do wrong?

We have one today that is at 22 days and it also sank in the water, but strong wiggles. What can I do now to keep it alive? Assist?

We have a home made incubator that is having temp fluxs from 98 to 101, and humidity of 55.

Have 7 more eggs that are looking strong due on the 8th.

Thank you

One thing you didn't say still air or forced air . I don't like a three degree temp swing which is more common in still air than forced air . I do agree with WV and AmyLynn your to wet . Since your incubator is homemade try and find what is causing the temp swing .If it's still air that's kinda normal. It could be as simple where you have your incubator though . Funny thing them dang incubators like a constant temperature of 70 degrees like people and require just as much babysitting

. Next start a dry hatch don't add water unless the humidity drops below 30% and add only enough water to bring it up to 35% for the first seven days . Then adjust humidity according to air cell development .To large more humidity to small less. if you can post some candling pictures of your seven eggs in incubation . I'm hardly ever here but there's always somebody to look and help.

 

[Pyxis]

Well, my sex linked EE NN is pipped and my 55 flowery hen is internally pipped!

Now, my luck they'll both hatch and both be roosters, lol.

 

[Oftwife03]

I ended up with 9 out of 11 hatch. One I feel bad about because it pipped right behind its air sac and drowned. The other stopped growing between day 14 and 18. I am about to start batch 2!! I am excited. I do have a question though. One of the 9 is already getting tail feathers. They are a week old today and it has had little tail feathers for about 3 days. I can post a pic if yall need but why would only one be growing tail feathers.

 

[americantasha]

Good morning. Its me again, so I did the float test and it's still sinking but boy is it wiggling. It's 3 days past due...

What can I do?? I feel bad for this chick.

 

[americantasha]

It's a still air stirofoam container. I have it stable at 100 and 30% now.



I really want to save this chick, should I do the assist? It's wiggling crazy in the water test, but no pips or chirps.

 

[americantasha]

Good morning. Its me again, so I did the float test and it's still sinking but boy is it wiggling. It's 3 days past due...

What can I do?? I feel bad for this chick.

 

[americantasha]

It's a still air stirofoam container. I have it stable at 100 and 30% now.



I really want to save this chick, should I do the assist? It's wiggling crazy in the water test, but no pips or chirps.