I'm so sad. What did I do wrong? (Graphic pic)

[monkeybrains]

so sorry for your loss

were they shipped eggs, yours or local
what incubator are you using?
still air or forced?
did you calibrate?
by chance are you higher elevation?

They were shipped eggs bought on ebay. I was using a foam cooler incubator. (still air) with a light inside. I did not calibrate. (calibrate what?) And I live in Orange County, Ca. I'm starting to think my thermometer was bad..And while I thought I had the perfect temp. I didn't.

 

[monkeybrains]

No, I did it once before with only a lightbulb and a basket they hatched great! So I thought, "Wow, with the humidity and thermometer this is gonna be perfect!" I was hatching these for my father, who's elderly and he really wanted silkies.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

They were shipped eggs bought on ebay. I was using a foam cooler incubator. (still air) with a light inside. I did not calibrate. (calibrate what?) And I live in Orange County, Ca. I'm starting to think my thermometer was bad..And while I thought I had the perfect temp. I didn't.

shipped eggs make incubation waaaay more difficult but it looks like you still had good growth on them
i am wondering if they were pullet eggs they tend to have more issues hatching than hen eggs

Calibration is a MUST: HOW TO CALIBRATE post #262

 

[DwayneNLiz]

i think for this it was just the humidity issue, next time just get the humidity down for day 1-10, check ACs and adjust from there

and remember you can always come and ask questions here!

 

[junebuggena]

Oh no! Too high? Thats what I was told. I did mark my air cells and everything seemed fine. I think to take the guess work out and not have to go through this again, I'll just buy a nice incubator to handle the hard work for me. Would you recommend that? I appreciate your advice!

It takes some trial and error to really get the hang of incubating. You can read and research, but there is still a lot that can only be learned through experience. You do need to calibrate your thermometer and hygrometer for accuracy.

 

[monkeybrains]

Wow, thank you all so much for all your help! I'm going to try again. It feels god to have a place to come to answers from people who know what they are talking about!

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Wow, thank you all so much for all your help! I'm going to try again. It feels good to have a place to come to answers from people who know what they are talking about!

thats what we are all here for, i wouldnt know anything without this site and all of the people here
tons of helpful people

Good luck!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

No I dont think so. I kept it between 50-60%. I'm doing research now and I'm wondering if its the thermometor I used. I'm reading some Amazon reviews that seems to be inaccurate. I don't know.

Wow, thank you all so much for all your help! I'm going to try again. It feels god to have a place to come to answers from people who know what they are talking about! 

Definitely points to high humidity over the first 17 days. I'm going to give you a link to help you with finding the right humidity for you. http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

 

[brandymulvaine]

I finished a hatch two weeks ago where the humidity was too high. I was adding a few eggs at a time thinking it would be fine, but um, no...if I had two incubators it might have worked. The chicks got too big to zip and some couldn't even pip. I learned to add eggs all at once and watch the humidity. On the plus side I can now assist chicks that are stuck like that, I only lost 4 (after day 19) and have 18 baby chicks! It was very stressful and I do not want a repeat performance.

 

[Joplus]

This happened to a bunch of mine, two hatches in a row. I got 20 out of 30 and 27 out of 35 so clearly I'm doing something right. But fully formed dead chicks just kills me. And this last batch I paid $40 for a dozen eggs which were picked up locally and added to my own eggs. Literally perfect formed polish with his lumpy head and all. The only thing I can think is there are cold spots and despite rotating them around some were in bad spots and became weakened and not strong enough to make it out. I know the overall temperature and humidity had to be OK for one to make it that far and second for many others to hatch successfully. Maybe your temps were low. Mine hatched on day 21, nothing before and a few today day 22. In the past there'd be pips starting day 19. I've hatched like 15 times.