Humidity too high during lockdown

[Tuhmu]

So I have been getting some less than stellar hatches, with chicks being fully developed, usually even internally pipped but dead. My lockdown humidity is in the 70% range when I first start lockdown but jumps up into the 85% range when stuff starts hatching. Could this be the cause of all these late deaths?

I've heard that high humidity during the first 18 days can cause late chick death but my humidity is always in the 25%-35% range, SOMETIMES spiking up to 40%. The air cell sizes have seemed to be perfect.......

My last two hatches were 3 out of 8 and 3 out of 7. These are shipped eggs, keep in mind, so I guess that is somewhat typical? Its just heartbreaking seeing them filled with completely developed chicks. Out of the last two batches all of them had a fully developed chick inside...

Also, could turning be an issue? I learnt halfway through this last hatch that they have to be at least 45% angle to be considered turned, which I know they weren't close too.

Any ideas?

 

[Tuhmu]

Anyone?

Going to be setting a batch of fairly important eggs in addition to a dozen of my own and want to make sure I have this nailed down.

 

[chickbabe]

I have found that high humidity during lockdown does not harm the chicks at all. As a matter of fact, it seems to initiate hatching. I like to keep it really high. No lower than 75% but up to 90% sometimes more. Shipped eggs have damaged air cells and it is my belief they have a very hard time breaking through the membrane of a damaged air cell.The membrane is very loose and they don't have a taut membrane to push against. I tend to intervene if the chick does not hatch out withtin 24 hours of the due date. Most of the time the losses for me and shipped eggs is when I don't intervene and they just cannot pip through the membrane. Make sure you know what to do if you intervene too early though and the yolk sac is not yet absorbed. I made a post about this in another thread.

 

[chickbabe]

Just wanted to add I do a dry incubation up until lockdown (30%-40% on average), then really raise the humidity like crazy upon lockdown. seems to work for me.

 

[Tuhmu]

I have found that high humidity during lockdown does not harm the chicks at all. As a matter of fact, it seems to initiate hatching. I like to keep it really high. No lower than 75% but up to 90% sometimes more. Shipped eggs have damaged air cells and it is my belief they have a very hard time breaking through the membrane of a damaged air cell.The membrane is very loose and they don't have a taut membrane to push against. I tend to intervene if the chick does not hatch out withtin 24 hours of the due date. Most of the time the losses for me and shipped eggs is when I don't intervene and they just cannot pip through the membrane. Make sure you know what to do if you intervene too early though and the yolk sac is not yet absorbed. I made a post about this in another thread.

Thx! I will have to start jumping in I think because I've been waiting till day 23 and its already too late.....

 

[Monroes-feathersnfurs]

Is anyone around? I truly need urgent help on day 2 of lockdown on my silkies. They are not moving anymore. I couldn’t get humidity above 65 so I went into small bath and let it get humid running the shower. It ended at 80% then dropped between 68-71%. I double checked to see if I shrunk wrapped and I haven’t yet. I have ten show chics and I’m stressing so badly. They barely moved when I candled. I wrapped incubator in wet rags to keep moisture around 70% but now I’m questioning myself if it’s too high!!!! I’m truly hoping someone is there. I’ve wrapped incubator in plastic to keep temp steady since I can’t open Add more water. I don’t know if I should remove water... I’ve sucked some humidity from air control when I thought was too high then I. Noticed more air sack so I thought I shrunk wrapped them. I’m all over the place haven’t slept going on 2nd night. Temp is between 99.5 and 100.4 between 3 meters. Do I just leave alone and try to keep above 65%? Can ANYONE PLEASE ADVISE ASAP AGAIN TODAY IS DAY 2 of lockdown.. PLEASE PLEASE????

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

@Monroes-feathersnfurs It's possible you are not seeing much movement as they are getting in position to pip. Now question: do you still have a vent hole open? It is very important to have vent remain open to allow oxgen into the eggs. You can smother them otherwise. Incubating can be very stressful and we've all been there. Hopefully someone with chicken hatching experience jumps on soon, but if it helps calm the nerves any, I recently managed to hatch duck eggs with 60% humidity and ducks need much higher humidity than chickens. I think you'll be okay, just remember to breathe