How can I tell if a chick is malpositioned?

[LaurenRitz]

I still have several days to hatch, but I just read the assisted hatch article and I am wondering how to tell if a chick is malpositioned?

My last hatch I had to assist on day 23 but the chick wasn't well and survived only 48 hours.

But I've had other chicks that were fully developed but never pipped and I have no idea why. I'd like to avoid that if at all possible.

Is there any way to tell, even if the chick is still alive? I knew the one was still alive because it moved in my hand when I candled it day 22.

 

[Kiki]

Chicks hatching late could be due to low temps.
Chicks that are fully developed but don't hatch could have died due to too high humidity.

Are you trusting the temp/humidity reading on your incubator?

If so get a few of these ASAP.
https://www.amazon.com/Govee-Hygrom...=1&mcid=0f6b0f56346d386688e146851b26525a&th=1

 

[MidwifeMamaHawk]

Chicks hatching late could be due to low temps.
Chicks that are fully developed but don't hatch could have died due to too high humidity.

How could too high of humidity cause them to not hatch but yet develop fully?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

How could too high of humidity cause them to not hatch but yet develop fully?

It can cause drowning at internal pip and also causes malpos.. by the air cell not developing large enough to inhibit chick growth and the chick cannot turn to get into position.. according to the information I've read.. as well as a hole host of other conditions.

Cause of embryonic failure and other things seen starts around page 51 of the following link..

https://www.hubbardbreeders.com/media/incubation_guideen__053407700_1525_26062017.pdf

 

[MidwifeMamaHawk]

Thank you for the response and helpful link! I am excited to learn more!

 

[mcdze]

personally, i havent found high humidity to ever cause problems ..i think thats pretty much a myth, again, my opinion ... what can cause problems though are huge swings in incubator conditions ..if you run it high keep it high .. and this is all circulated air type incubators .. another huge factor imo is just not enough 'outside' air circulating through, so yeah, high humidity + lack of air exchange i could see smothering anything living for sure ..
...here, my bator is running at '+80%' since day1 of incubation, it dropped a bit trying to snap the pic, it was at 85 with hatching going on, so yeah, not buying the high humidity is lethal story -->

 

[Huntmaster]

personally, i havent found high humidity to ever cause problems ..i think thats pretty much a myth,

Have you ever calibrated your hygrometer to know its reading properly?