Hoping Fourth Try is the charm..

[Rin]

THREE failed hatches now(all starting with a dozen eggs) and preparing to set 15 eggs tonight... all batches were shipped and the first attempt was the closest I ever came(three pipped but then died there - one with its beak resting against the shell even - the other three to get that far had died early on or had defects). Everyone seemed to conclude they were too dry so with my second batch I got two more hygrometers with a total of three... out of 12 only three turned out viable and didn't go further - not even piping(most of these were scrambled though as the seller decided to ship them out to me on the day before x-mas eve) and the last batch was worst of all - only one viable and when I opened it it was defective with it's foot wrapped around it's body - this batch was accidental as it was cancelled and they sent it anyway.

I can post pictures if no one is too squicked out if it would help figure out what I'm doing wrong. All of my hygrometers agree my humidity was right and aside from the first batch there were no temperature spikes. I tried to keep my humidity about 50% since they still seemed dry when I'd open them.

For turning I was setting them in a paper pulp egg carton and putting an object under one end then sliding it to the other and doing it 5 times a day - even on days I worked for the first batch - second batch I only did it 5 times a day on days off - three on work days and final batch only did it three times a day.

This batch I'm planning to go back to 5 times a day - only, I might set 4 on the wire and turn them by hand and I'm going to try a Styrofoam egg carton this time. Is it possible the paper ones were absorbing water away from the eggs making them dry out too much?

 

[akpeeps]

Good luck

I'm on my third try with shipped eggs. I didn't even have any develop on the first two batches. Ruptured air cells in all of them I think.

All most all of these have broken air cells too, but I'm trying something different with this batch. I'm letting them rest 24 hours in a carton. Hopefully the air cell will stabilize and I'm going to put them in the bator in a paper carton and just leave them alone for the first few days. I think this time, rather than hand turn them, I'm going to angle the bator instead of the carton so I don't have to keep opening it up.
I'm putting four of my own eggs in for a comparison. I'm debating on whether or not to put them in the carton. I may leave them on the wire just to see if it makes a difference.
I've never tried hatching in a carton or used a turner so this will be all new to me.

Did you cut the bottoms out of your cartons for air flow?

Here's hoping for a successful hatch!

 

[Charles07]

Good luck.

 

[pkw]

Quote:
50% humidity is pretty high for the first 18 days. I have read that it needs to be 35-40% for the first 18 days then during lockdown up it to 60-70%. I usually turn my eggs twice a day.

I wish you better luck this time around. Shipped eggs are tough to hatch. I only got 4 precious little chicks out of my shipped eggs this year and I am happy tohave gotten them.