Lockdown, I need to do I right!

[Weeg]

Hey guys!
Some of you may have see my several threads about my first hatch, and my fist time hatches hatch-A-long. Well, I had a successful hatch in my eyes, even though the hatch rate wasn't perfect, I got 1 chick out of 6 Cochin bantam chipped eggs. I was hoping for 3, but thats alright. Now, I have another batch of eggs that I moved into another incubator when the last batch went into lockdown. I have one remaining live egg from that batch of 12 eggs, (I think shipping damaged them to much, but I really have no idea why so many quit. Its alright though.) The remaining egg is an EE bantam. She is going into lockdown on Monday, and I want to do this right, since most of the last batch died once lockdown hit.
The last batch I set 3 live eggs into lockdown, all alive and moving like crazy before I put them in, and only one hatched. When I candled the dead eggs, it looked like they had been dead for several days, I candled on day 21. It didn't even look like they internal pipped. What could have gone wrong? I have a rated thermometer/humidity gauge, and and using a Little giant incubator.
When I put them into lockdown, I took out the turner, and added a piece of shelf liner on the bottom of the bator. I then added a container of water, and tow sponge pieces, keeping the humidity between 65% and 70% until the only chick hatched, and the humidity raised. I had the temp at 99.5, it went up a degree once or twice, but otherwise I don't know what went wrong. I'm a bit concerned I didn't calibrate the humidity gauge right, so I will do that again before lockdown. What else could have gone wrong? What could have killed those eggs? I have a fan kit in the bator, could they have been in a cold spot and not been ready for the humidity raise? It seemed like they had died days ago on when I candled, which would calculate to the day of lockdown. I did count the days right, starting on day 0. Ideas? Thanks guys! And anything I should do different please to mention. Thanks!

 

[Not-so-tough Farmer Mama]

I've read to drop the temperature to 98° at lockdown, but idk if that would kill them. I'm sorry not to be of more help! It sounds like you're doing everything right. Shipped eggs come with their own struggles for sure.

 

[Weeg]

I've read to drop the temperature to 98° at lockdown, but idk if that would kill them. I'm sorry not to be of more help! It sounds like you're doing everything right. Shipped eggs come with their own struggles for sure.

Ya, I'm now considering the quality of the eggs being a major issue.
I'll look into dropping the temp, thanks for that!
Shipped eggs are annoying.

 

[Not-so-tough Farmer Mama]

Hopefully you'll get a pair, so next season you can hatch your own!!

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

I've read to drop the temperature to 98° at lockdown, but idk if that would kill them. I'm sorry not to be of more help! It sounds like you're doing everything right. Shipped eggs come with their own struggles for sure.

Most people don't lower temperature. I like to because I feel when they're born, they heat up a little, and I don't want them to overheat. @MGG has a good explanation on this topic.

 

[Not-so-tough Farmer Mama]

Most people don't lower temperature. I like to because I feel when they're born, they heat up a little, and I don't want them to overheat. @MGG has a good explanation on this topic.

Interesting. I always have and thought it was normal

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

Interesting. I always have and thought it was normal

Don't worry! Everyone knows what works for them, like dry hatch and wet hatch.

 

[Weeg]

Interesting, I'm very interested to see what @MGG says. I'm more then willing to try anything that will improve my hatch rate.
I'm picking up 6 Calico Cochin hatching eggs soon to try again with, so I need all the advice I can get!

 

[LaFleche]

Firstly, you could mark the eggs to make sure you notice if the automatic turner does not turn them correctly (which happens surprisingly often).


Here is how I dealt with shipped eggs showing wonky or somewhat detached air cells, and had very good hatch rates, up to 100%:

After the first 6 days of strictly upright incubation, it is important to daily take each egg holding them sideways slowly turning them around, so the detached membrane separating the air cell will be kept humid and flexible.

Incubation with slightly raised humidity at 55%, but temperature at only at 99.68 - 99.86 (37,6-37,7°C).

On day 18 raising humidity up to 65%, on day 20 up to 70%.

On day 18 lowering the temperature to 98.96 (37,2°C)

They might hatch half a day later, but that's ok. Better than drowning or drying up in the eggshell.

Good luck!

 

[Weeg]

Firstly, you could mark the eggs to make sure you notice if the automatic turner does not turn them correctly (which happens surprisingly often).


Here is how I dealt with shipped eggs showing wonky or somewhat detached air cells, and had very good hatch rates, up to 100%:

After the first 6 days of strictly upright incubation, it is important to daily take each egg holding them sideways slowly turning them around, so the detached membrane separating the air cell will be kept humid and flexible.

Incubation with slightly raised humidity at 55%, but temperature at only at 99.68 - 99.86 (37,6-37,7°C).

On day 18 raising humidity up to 65%, on day 20 up to 70%.

On day 18 lowering the temperature to 98.96 (37,2°C)

They might hatch half a day later, but that's ok. Better than drowning or drying up in the eggshell.

Good luck!

Wow, this is such good information, thank you!
This time I am picking up eggs locally, so I'm hoping I wont have to deal with any funky air cells, but should I still drop the temp and raise the humidity like you did if the air cells are normal?
I did purchase seem shipped Serama eggs before this whole fiasco, were I would have preferred to pick up locally, but thats alright, and the parent birds are really pretty so I'll just have to deal with funky air cells.