Hatch 2....final results, and questions

[yotetrapper]

I went into day 18 with 13 maran eggs, 9 silkies, and 2 frizzles.

First to hatch was one frizzle, then a silkie. Then the marans.... 10 of them. At the end, one silkie was helped out, but didnt make it. So total is 10 marans, 1 silkie, 1 frizzle of 24 eggs.....half.

So whats going on here?? All of them were alive and kicking at day 18. Temperature through the hartch was a fairly consistent 100-101.5. Hudimity at about 67, until some hatched then it went up to about 75.

Why would 10 of 13 maran eggs hatch, but only 1.5 of 9 silkies? I do great with this incubating up until day last three days, then they die on me, and I dont know why. All of the eggs that didnt hatch, never even pipped.

Heres a weird tidbit of info. I was worried about the maran eggs because they had terribly irregular air sacs. But they hatched, and the silkies with the good air sacs didnt. I dont get it.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

OMG...I don't know, but I'm going to follow this link. I'm on day 18 today and all is well. I hate to think that many of these babies won't hatch.

 

[Joy1]

If your humidity is right, it's just mother nature doing her own thing.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I've seen posted (by Speckledhen, I believe) that many hatches are lost in the last days due to closing the bator up to tight. You need to let air in for them to breathe. As I haven't been able to get any to hatch either that is about the only help I can be.

 

[turnerstar31]

what was the humidity like before the hatch. Also were these eggs shipped or not. If they were shipped sometimes that can effect them as well. I think you did everything right there are just going to be those that don;t hatch. Farmer Kitty is right did you open the bator up a lot at the end. Once you hit day 18 don;t open it until your hatch is completely done. Also how long did you wait on the eggs. Some take a little longer than the 21 day norm.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

turnerstar31-You are right, opening the bator the last few days is a nono but, I was referrring to it being closed/locked up to tight. Even though you are at the last few days and need to bring up humidity the chicks still need air flow to breathe.

 

[ginasmarans]

Sorry that some of your eggs did not do well, but I'm proud of the marans

. I think there are things that we just can't control. This last hatch I candled and was pretty confident that 30 of the 31 eggs I kept in at day 18 would soon be fluffy buts. 16 hatched with no problems, then 3 more. I don't know what happened to the 12. I didn't open the bater,nor was it shut tight. Now with your's,since the eggs came from different sources, you may never know the ansewr.Did they come from the same distance? Perhaps some got handled from the p.o. differently, breed of chicken-is one more hardy than the others- could play a part.
Congrats on the ones you have,though.

 

[pbjmaker]

I had that happen with a hatch I did at school - day 18 and 29 were vigoursly alive - then only 9 hatched. I get that shipped eggs might not develop because of rough handling - but what I want to know is what kills them the last 3 days if the humidity looks good along with the temp and air cells.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I'd like to know myself. Is it pipping somewhere other than the aircell and drowning? I've made sure the large ends were tilted more upright than the small ends since the very beginning. Turning has been without fail...by hand 3-4 times a day...very gently.

I can't wait to get home to sit and stare at them this evening.

 

[yotetrapper]

I just dont know. I had ventilation, both plugs were out. This time I was really good, I didnt open the bator at all until 12 hours after the last pipped egg hatched. At that point, I helped out three, then reclosed it until the following day, when I took out the babies. Humidity was in the 40s to low fifties throughout, until the end.

I did have two high temp spikes, but I thought that if that were to affect them it would of done so by killing them before day 18 (both spikes were before that, and all that went in on day 18 were alive.) Maybe not??

Today is day 24, tomorrow, the eggs will come out.

All eggs were shipped from different places, I'm not sure off the top of my head but thinking all were from similar distances. Of all the eggs, it seems as if the marans were handled roughest by the P.O. Irregular air cells, some free floating! The silkies air cells were perfect, and all but one of the original silkie eggs developed up until day 18. I'm a loss for ideas.

Ang