I have some hatching problems

[TheChickenQueen]

I have a Farm Innovators Model 2100 Still Air Incubator that I bought used, which I have used for multiple dry hatches over the past few years. My very first hatch 39 chicks out of 42 eggs which I thought was pretty good, but this last hatch was about half of that. I have multiple eggs that made it to lockdown but never internally pipped so I'm trying to figure out what the problem could be since I've changed almost nothing in how I am operating but it is a new flock.

So could it be the incubator or ???

I have noticed that one of my OE's eggs always make it to lock down but rarely hatch or pip, so could something be wrong with her eggs? And this is my first time incubating BCM eggs and only a few hatched

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I have a Farm Innovators Model 2100 Still Air Incubator that I bought used, which I have used for multiple dry hatches over the past few years. My very first hatch 39 chicks out of 42 eggs which I thought was pretty good, but this last hatch was about half of that. I have multiple eggs that made it to lockdown but never internally pipped so I'm trying to figure out what the problem could be since I've changed almost nothing in how I am operating but it is a new flock.

So could it be the incubator or ???

I have noticed that one of my OE's eggs always make it to lock down but rarely hatch or pip, so could something be wrong with her eggs? And this is my first time incubating BCM eggs and only a few hatched

Maybe...it could be your incubator, but you've confirmed that the temperature and humidity readings are still accurate and where they should be, right?

With regard to the BCM eggs, I've read posts indicating that at least some people believe that very dark eggs need special handling to hatch successfully. I got about a 50% hatch rate with the first set of BCM eggs I set, but I don't know how much of that was due to the shipping and how much was attributable to incubation technique. I'm currently dry hatching some and keeping the humidity really low, around 30%. I know you already have dry hatching experience, but there's some interesting discussion on this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/626300/black-copper-marans-dry-or-humid-incubation.

In addition, this article mentions possible issues with evaporation in dark eggs, and provides information about sanding them to help facilitate evaporation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-dark-eggs. I haven't done this, myself, but I'm going to keep it in mind and may try it (depending on how this hatch goes).

The fact that the one OE's eggs consistently fail to hatch makes me suspicious..have you done any eggtopsies? It would be helpful to know, for example, if they quit near lockdown or well before.

 

[TheChickenQueen]

I haven't yet, I'm going to get some new thermometers and test them then add them on this next hatch.

Hm... I think I might try sanding a few and leave a few untouched for a control group since they are really thick eggs.

No, I'm not very fond of things like that and normally I get rid of the eggs after leaving them in a few more days with no progress. I'll have to do that as well.

But after much thinking I'm wondering if part of it could be my own error as well since they accidentally stayed on the turner until day 19 and I do open the bator during lockdown to remove chicks when there a few because I've had chicks flip over pipped eggs and then the ones inside just quit after that. But I always add hot/warm water every time I do to keep the humidity up.

There are a lot of variables so I'm going to deep clean the bator and run it again but this time hands on and get them off the turner on day 1; then I know someone else that might let me barrow theirs to see how it goes in a different incubator.

I am really concerned because this year I wanted to try out shipped eggs but don't want to mess it up if it is something on my end.