No wonder they say "don't count your chicks before they hatch" : (

[fried green eggs]

I just had my worst hatch since starting hatching shipped eggs (1 out of 16).

Only 4 eggs had movement on day 18 and went into lock down. I heard lots of peeps yesterday and then nothing all day today - Day 21. I had a bad feeling all day when I saw and heard nothing today. I did manage to save the one chick from this batch because I decided to candle the eggs. The first egg I grabbed had externally pipped on the bottom and was stuck. It had absorbed all the yoke and sems to be doing OK

I did the first few hatches using the dry incubation method. The hatches went well but, I switched to higher humidity incubating for these eggs because it seemed like I was having to help too many big stuck chicks get out of shell. I had a few pores eggs that had dead wet chicks but, not often in earlier hatches.

I ran this incubation at the normal 40 - 55 % humidity for days 1 - 18 then 70% for last couple days and now most of the chicks are dead. They were very wet and had not absorbed yoke. They don't look like they internally pipped as beak was still tucked.


I'm going back to dry method - I'll take stuck chicks that are alive and just need help hatching over this. I'm pretty sure I would have lost the lone chick if, I waited till morning.

 

[phoenix912]

Sorry to hear you're hatch went so bad. Its hard when you put in three week's then lose them.

 

[fried green eggs]

Thanks. The lone chick from this batch is still alive this morning but, it can't walk. One leg is straight out in front of it and the other leg is bent so it's scooting around the incubator on it's butt.

Maybe I didn't do this chick any favors by helping it hatch.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I did the first few hatches using the dry incubation method. The hatches went well but, I switched to higher humidity incubating for these eggs because it seemed like I was having to help too many big stuck chicks get out of shell. I had a few pores eggs that had dead wet chicks but, not often in earlier hatches.

I ran this incubation at the normal 40 - 55 % humidity for days 1 - 18 then 70% for last couple days and now most of the chicks are dead. They were very wet and had not absorbed yoke. They don't look like they internally pipped as beak was still tucked.

I'm presuming you've calibrated your hygrometer so that you know it's accurate. It sounds to me like you went too far in the other direction on the humidity. Particularly if your day 1-18 humidity might have ranged as high as 55% then a day 19-21 humidity at 70% was too high. I personally favor keeping the humidity between 40-45% then a final humidity in the 60-65% range.

 

[cva34]

Beware it may not be your Incubation at all.Could have been the handling of package .temp in shipping vehicle.Just bad eggs .Old eggs and on and on..... Shipped eggs are a crap shoot sometimes you Win some times Snake Eyes(but I will continue to do it cause you have access to BIRDS that would not be available to us otherwise).....cva34

Just a point; Have you ever thought how hot /cold it must get in a UPS.... BROWN un- AC delivery truck.No wonder they wear shorts.I'm not bad mouthing UPS /there my favorite

 

[fried green eggs]

I did the first few hatches using the dry incubation method. The hatches went well but, I switched to higher humidity incubating for these eggs because it seemed like I was having to help too many big stuck chicks get out of shell. I had a few pores eggs that had dead wet chicks but, not often in earlier hatches.
I ran this incubation at the normal 40 - 55 % humidity for days 1 - 18 then 70% for last couple days and now most of the chicks are dead. They were very wet and had not absorbed yoke. They don't look like they internally pipped as beak was still tucked.
I'm presuming you've calibrated your hygrometer so that you know it's accurate. It sounds to me like you went too far in the other direction on the humidity. Particularly if your day 1-18 humidity might have ranged as high as 55% then a day 19-21 humidity at 70% was too high. I personally favor keeping the humidity between 40-45% then a final humidity in the 60-65% range.

I calibrated all 4 of my hygrometers a couple weeks ago - I have 2 in each incubator. I think you maybe right. I had started new shipped eggs last Friday so, last night I took some of the filled water jars out of incubator and let it drop to 27% over night. This morning I raised humidity back up to 42% and will keep it at that level for the next week and a half. I will try to hatch at level you suggest. I hope it's not already too late for that batch. I have several that look promising.

I had a idea

what if on day 18 when I candle - I pierce one or two of the viable eggs and see if air sack is full of water? I could drain it and reseal egg to put in hatcher? Do you think that would work???
I know shipped eggs are risky and you can't tell what happend while in transit. but I can't find the breeds I'm trying to get, close to home. I didn't put any of my chickens eggs in with this hatch to compare. I will try shipped eggs one more time this year and put a few of mine in with them to see if constant 40-45% for day 1-18 works better.

 

[fried green eggs]

Beware it may not be your Incubation at all.Could have been the handling of package .temp in shipping vehicle.Just bad eggs .Old eggs and on and on..... Shipped eggs are a crap shoot sometimes you Win some times Snake Eyes(but I will continue to do it cause you have access to BIRDS that would not be available to us otherwise).....cva34

Just a point; Have you ever thought how hot /cold it must get in a UPS.... BROWN un- AC delivery truck.No wonder they wear shorts.I'm not bad mouthing UPS /there my favorite

Yes and that is why I have bought several dozen shipped eggs too. I don't know about UPS but, I was a USPS rural mail carrier for 15 + yrs. I know when my shipped eggs arrive to my PO - my carrier and most of the clerks are very careful with the shipped eggs. I still have some friends there. lol

 

[fried green eggs]

Thanks. The lone chick from this batch is still alive this morning but, it can't walk. One leg is straight out in front of it and the other leg is bent so it's scooting around the incubator on it's butt.

Maybe I didn't do this chick any favors by helping it hatch.

I made little corrective shoes/booties for my chick and held it to let leg ligaments stretch out. I don't think it like corrective shoes very much because she got them off in less than 24 hours. I guess it was long enough because this morning it's walking

It's little butt is very sore from all the scooting it had done - maybe that helped it to walk too ? I treated with desitine baby rash medicine and put it in with chicks hatched a couple weeks ago. It still limps a little but feet and legs look OK. I'm glad I read BYC threads on crooked toes and could help this little baby.