Membrane too tough for hatching chick

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Your wonderful friend has wonderful humidity levels, too!

 

[ghillie]

Elevation is 6800

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Your wonderful friend has wonderful humidity levels, too!

It sounds great, but has your friend calibrated his hygrometer? It really does sound like a humidity issue.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I'm sure he has calibrated his hygrometer and checked everything else. He's pretty meticulous, weighing the eggs, checking the levels and so forth. He's a hatchaholic so ... yeah.

Guess I just didn't make the chicks strong enough so that they could get through the membrane. More free-ranging time and less bread during this collection period should help, plus I think I'll give them some flax seeds tomorrow.

Thanks all.

 

[Rscopin]

I have run into this same problem with my last hatch and now my batch that is hatching today. The first chick zipped all the way around the shell but not through the membrane. The membrane was broken in only a few places. The shell breaks and pieces fall off but they can't get through the membrane. It seems strange that the membrane would be stronger than the shell.
Even the ones that are pipped the shell is broken but some are not through the membrane.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Just completed our last hatch. Incubator-person didn't mention having any more problems with tough membranes. For 2-3 days before and while collecting eggs for that hatch, gave the chickens (hens and roosters both) only laying feed. No treats like oats or veggies. Not sure if it effected it or not.

Guess it's just a natural occurrence .. survival of the fittest.

Ain't nature amazing?!?!