Incubator troubleshooting

[BryLT3]

I recently switched to a homemade incubator from a Little Giant and I've been having trouble with hatching.

The eggs candle fine up until lock down, but then they just don't hatch. They don't pip either. When I did an eggtopsy, it looked as if the chicks had an almost leather-like covering on them below the air cell.

I was thinking my humidity is too low ( I will be getting a hygrometer soon, I'm just looking for opinions in the meantime. )

This was right when I got it, before I added water.

Thanks!

 

[HugHess]

May I ask how you are humidifying your bator when bumping it up for lock down?

 

[BryLT3]

I move them to a different incubator for lockdown. I guess I should've mentioned that

Right now, I have a bowl of water in the bottom of this incubator for days 1-18.

 

[darkbluespace]

When my humidity was too high, my chicks grew to large to hatch... that may be the problem you're having. I have been dry incubating with better results... with just the eggs in the bator humidity is around 30%.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-incubate-hatch-eggs-using-the-dry-incubation-method