How can I figure what went wrong with a hatch?

[QChickieMama]

Is there a link to a chart or something I can read that will help me stop repeating my mistakes?

This last hatch was miserable! Only 8 eggs were infertile; about 20 eggs just didn't develop fully; and 25 or so developed but quit growing about a week before hatch. Only 6 hatched and 1 died today. 5 silly chicks running around in my enormous brooder.

 

[Double Laced]

It is mostly a simple process of elimination :

All the clear eggs are infertile, Lots of infertile eggs could be a problem with the parents or storage.

any that develop and then die in shell indicate a problem with the incubator or the conditions, I have found the most common cause of dead in shell is to high a humidity. the embryo's need to lose a certain amount of weight or they cannot hatch.

From what you have described it could be some sort of infection or a temperature problem on the incubator like a power cut. this can happen if the sun falls on the incubator. Also if the eggs are not turned properly ( or not enough ventilation ) they tend to develop then die

Pipping, then not hatching is usually a low humidity problems as the membranes dry out.

There are huge numbers of reasons.

What is the breed?

 

[QChickieMama]

It is mostly a simple process of elimination :

All the clear eggs are infertile, Lots of infertile eggs could be a problem with the parents or storage.

any that develop and then die in shell indicate a problem with the incubator or the conditions, I have found the most common cause of dead in shell is to high a humidity. the embryo's need to lose a certain amount of weight or they cannot hatch.

From what you have described it could be some sort of infection or a temperature problem on the incubator like a power cut. this can happen if the sun falls on the incubator. Also if the eggs are not turned properly ( or not enough ventilation ) they tend to develop then die

Pipping, then not hatching is usually a low humidity problems as the membranes dry out.

There are huge numbers of reasons.

What is the breed?

Bobwhites.

Where can I find a list of the ideal conditions? I feel like I'm piecing together random bits of info from these threads, and I don't know if I am getting it right.

Like, I read that I was supposed to leave both red air plugs IN during the first 20 days and then take them out during the lockdown period for extra ventilation. There are other small holes in the LG incubator for air. Does that suffice for ventilation?

 

[Double Laced]

I'm afraid I dont know the incubator in question. I use a fiem 20 for incubating eggs and a 77 egg maino. Did they struggle to hatch ?

I had a few bad hatches when I started out, we always had humidity problems ( to high during incubation, they all developed but only a few hatched ).

My incubation procedure is:

1. Get the eggs ready, in trays, pointy ends down.

2. turn on incubator and run for 24 hours at correct temp.

3. add eggs, watch like a hawk for a day or two to make sure temp is stable at 99.7F.

4 leave well alone till day 10 when i candle all and remove clears and day 17 when i turn of the egg roller.

5. wait for hatch, pipping can be as early as day 18 and as late as day 22.

we currently enjoy a hatch and fertility rate of over 90%.

My personal feeling is the humidity has been to high, on your next run through weigh the eggs at the start and again at the finish, they should be losing 11 to 13 % weight in 21 days. If you want I can send you a formula to calculate this.

 

[TwoCrows]

Is there a link to a chart or something I can read that will help me stop repeating my mistakes?

This last hatch was miserable! Only 8 eggs were infertile; about 20 eggs just didn't develop fully; and 25 or so developed but quit growing about a week before hatch. Only 6 hatched and 1 died today. 5 silly chicks running around in my enormous brooder.

Here is a link to trouble shooting hatching issues...

http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/trouble.html#BR

Make sure to check over your incubator. I always use 2 thermometers going and keep a close eye on the humidity. Always thoroughly disinfect the bator after each hatch so you are not brooding any disease. Make sure you have a good venting system and fresh air is coming in at all times, especially at lock down to hatch, open all vents all the way as the babies need a ton of air.

For hatching Bobs...temp for forced air incubators, 99.5 to 100.0. Ideal temp is 99.7 Humidity level at 55% to 60% during incubation. At day 20, lock down, up the humidity by 10%, or somewhere around 70%.