Need help hatching plymouth Rocks

[Dave W]

This is our third time at this and our troubles seem to be getting worse. The chicks are pipping but then seem to be stuck. As in for twenty four hours later they still just show a little hole. So then I done what i am NOT supposed to do and helped. The membrane around them is so tough it is hard to tear it. I am using the Brinsea with the pump and humidity setting. When we stopped turning we put it uo to 75% so i dont think that it is to dry. The shells seem to be very hard and brittle. the ones that we helped even after twenty four hours were very bloody. This should'nt be I don't think

?????
Even the eggs that we collect for eating are hard to break that membrane is this normal?

Any help is greatly accepted.

Dave
Olds Ab

 

[SkyWarrior]

Hmm, I would say don't help even after pipping until 72 hours. Helping is a bad idea because it takes a while for the blood vessels to contract and the chick to absorb the yolk and the blood vessels. Never had one go well with that.

I've never had shells that were too hard to break. The membrane is normal as far as I know. If you're having lots of problems, you may have to consider that the birds you're breeding may have tough membranes and genetically may not be the birds to breed.

Even so, I doubt that is the cause.

Membrane problems are usually related to loss of humidity, which can happen if you open up the incubator. At that point, the membranes get really dry and tough. Some chicks take a LONG while to hatch. If none zip after pipping for several days, then there's something wrong with your set up or with the lines.

Good luck!

 

[dickhorstman]

Try cutting the heat back 1/2 degree. Also try not raising the humidity. The first thing I do when having a problem is to check the thermometer. There are several ways to do this. I use thermometers with stems. I simply fill a glass with small ice cubes and water. It should read 32 degrees.