I'm on day 14 and worried/losing eggs

[nao57]

While I am no expert here, I’m going to add that the health and/or genetics of the eggs is a factor not mentioned. Perhaps the eggs were deficient in some way and quit. Perhaps the chicks had a genetic anomaly that caused them to quit. Since this is your first time incubating, then you don’t have a previous successful hatch to compare it to. What source are the eggs from?

Recently, I did my first chicken hatch. Eggs from my flock. Several were clear (not fertilized), 2 quit. 2 didn’t hatch, but I only gave them an additional 24 hours after the others hatched. I used a cheap still-air styrofoam incubator, and had pretty decent hatch: 26 fertile eggs turned into 22 chicks. Interestingly, 3 chicks hatched with mild issues, two were corrected within 36 hours, one had to be culled. These three had same breed mom(s) -they hatched from same color egg, and only 1 breed that we have lays that egg. My guess is maybe a nutritional deficit (but all eat same feed), or genetics. So, something to consider for these eggs you are hatching.

good luck with the remaining eggs!

22 out of 26 is amazing! You're a pro!

 

[uktech]

First, well done on your hatch rate with a cheap incubator. Impressive and the same reason I didn't buy an expensive one to begin with.

the health and/or genetics of the eggs is a factor not mentioned

You make a very valid point, one I hadn't actually thought too much about, to be honest. The eggs are from a local guy who has kept chickens for a while and hatches them regularly without issues like this. He had a load of chickens when I picked up the eggs and he has another batch of about 40+ hatching sometime in the next few days.

Honestly don't know what to make of it right now. All I can hope is we get some good hatches, as explaining to the kids is a little harder than I previously thought. They are heavily invested in the whole project.

 

[Acre4Me]

First, well done on your hatch rate with a cheap incubator. Impressive and the same reason I didn't buy an expensive one to begin with.

You make a very valid point, one I hadn't actually thought too much about, to be honest. The eggs are from a local guy who has kept chickens for a while and hatches them regularly without issues like this. He had a load of chickens when I picked up the eggs and he has another batch of about 40+ hatching sometime in the next few days.

Honestly don't know what to make of it right now. All I can hope is we get some good hatches, as explaining to the kids is a little harder than I previously thought. They are heavily invested in the whole project.

Thats good - a local guy. It is normal to have some hatch issues (meaning not 100% all the time), but maybe he would indicate if he sees any problems with a breed or what his hatch rate is typically. If he says 100% all the time, he's probably just a glass-half-full kinda guy, maybe rounds up on his percents!

Sorry you are having difficulties with this hatch. Kids get pretty interested and excited for babies. Good thing is that when the viable ones hatch, they will still be as excited as if all of them had hatched. Good luck!

 

[uktech]

I can't fault the local guy. He's honest and continues to be very helpful and generous. I have free eggs to collect if I feel like it and when I visited my kids came along and he showed us around giving an open tour. Kids stumbled upon an egg each which they got to keep and those are thankfully in good shape. They quickly got emotionally invested after seeing the chicks and had me write their names on the eggs so really praying those hatch. He had about 40 to 45 chickens in a very nice environment along with at least 10 chicks and ducklings and he knew what he was doing. For the rest, I'll reserve commenting as I'd be out of my depth. The 40+ about to hatch he has already lost about 8 from our last conversation.

As much as I hate this line, it is what it is. Hoping for the best and making sure we can give them the best chance of surviving.

 

[Kiraeh]

This is really unfortunate. Perhaps a thorough disinfecting of your incubator + dipping your next eggs in a bleach solution next time? If your temperature/turning is right then contamination would be the next most likely culprit- especially for these mid/late losses. It really seems like you've done due diligence re. temperature. Could be the parent flock- well tuned incubation shouldn't run more than 20% mortality. Doesn't even mean he's not taking good care of his flock, inbreeding and age can do it too.

 

[Tonyroo]

What brand is the incubator? I would like to look it up.

 

[Acre4Me]

I can't fault the local guy. He's honest and continues to be very helpful and generous. I have free eggs to collect if I feel like it and when I visited my kids came along and he showed us around giving an open tour. Kids stumbled upon an egg each which they got to keep and those are thankfully in good shape. They quickly got emotionally invested after seeing the chicks and had me write their names on the eggs so really praying those hatch. He had about 40 to 45 chickens in a very nice environment along with at least 10 chicks and ducklings and he knew what he was doing. For the rest, I'll reserve commenting as I'd be out of my depth. The 40+ about to hatch he has already lost about 8 from our last conversation.

As much as I hate this line, it is what it is. Hoping for the best and making sure we can give them the best chance of surviving.

Sounds like a good person with a good farm! I'm wishing you the best for the remainder of the eggs!

 

[uktech]

Doesn't even mean he's not taking good care of his flock, inbreeding and age can do it too

Yes this is what I didn't comment on as I'm most likely out of my depth. Who knows what reality is. Regards contamination, I didn't do anything to the eggs but I did sanitise the incubator before firing it up.

What brand is the incubator?

Unbranded purchased off amazon as I needed something quick and everything within a reasonable price bracket was out of stock everywhere I looked, or inflated prices due to covid.

By the way, this one I purchased was half the current listed price in Feb this year. I ended up going with the thought process that you can hatch eggs in any random box as long as you maintain the correct environment and follow good practices.

wishing you the best

Thank you, it means a lot.

 

[Tonyroo]

Is there a reason why you modified the base of the incubator? The styrofoam box was not the original container.

 

[uktech]

Is there a reason why you modified the base of the incubator? The styrofoam box was not the original container.

That foam is the packing it came in. I just cut out a small window from that one spot to view the thermometer/hygrometer which sits inside the incubator.