Sorry to hear about your chicks. To me 55% seems high for days 1-18. I keep mine between 30-40. In ld I boost it to between 60-65%
Thanks for the reply I will try the dry incubate next round. so far 5 live 3 dead and when I got ready to toss all the other eggs one is trying to hatch and peeped so I will give it till tonight. I don't expect it to make it but I don't wanna toss a hatching egg in the trash. Last hatch I had less water so I know that was it. They are at week 4 and doubled in size in a week so today I left the cage open to let them go out to meet the other chickens.I dry incubate* until LD, then 60-70% humidity....get much better hatches now. And, from what I have read 45-65 degrees is optimum for storage
Problems with Ebay eggs sounds familiar, I got some off Ebay and they were stuck in a sort facility for 3 days = low hatch . Lady was sorry even though it was not her fault and shipped a batch free that the post office kicked and beat for the fragile = kick me sign. she had them bubble wrapped in packing peanuts in two boxes and one egg was cracked when I got it, none hatched. I see she no longer sells eggs and I can't blame her. I sold a tractor for repair or parts and never saw a dime, just excuses and a canI re tact the bid note. Somebody from the same town sent me a message trying to low ball me on it. I said NO and do say hello to your jack wagon inbred brother. But I still use Ebay and even got my wife an SUV for $4000 under book so go figure. Good luck to all having hatches today