Pip but no zip-need help

[PolloGal]

Hi. I need some help. I have A nurture right 360 incubator and have been rather unsuccessful in hatching different types of turkey eggs I buy from different local farms. I have a good hatch rate with chickens, but not turkeys. I have been keeping humidity for turkey eggs at about 60-65% during incubation, candle once (carefully) about 2 weeks in to remove infertile eggs, lockdown last 3 days, remove turner, open vent, raise humidity by filling 2nd pot to about 73-75%. Temperature consistent at 99.5. Right now I have 13 bourbon reds in there. 5 or 6 have pipped (2 of them 48+ hours ago) but nothing is zipping. Today is day 29 For them. I see no movement, although I did see a little movement last night when one pipped. I just don’t know what (if) I am doing something wrong?? I am so sad about the thought that I may be ’killing’ them. I never open the incubator either…ever. I have never been an ‘assist’ person, although I can if I thought it would save one And not kill the others by shrinking the membranes. I did ALOT of reading before I started incubating them (this has happened to me once before). I know the shells are harder, so decreasing humidity would make no logical sense. Can someone give me some ideas? I have 3 Narragansett turkey eggs incubating in my other Nurture right 360 incubator (I have 2 of those) that gets locked down on June 3rd. If I can’t help these eggs now, maybe I can at least save the 2nd batch. But, I am hoping I can get a few of these now to survive. Thanks.

 

[Molpet]

https://www.porterturkeys.com/egghatchingtips.htm

Do you have a couple devices to check humdity and temperature? Lot's of time the incubatords is wrong.

 

[PolloGal]

https://www.porterturkeys.com/egghatchingtips.htm

Do you have a couple devices to check humdity and temperature? Lot's of time the incubatords is wrong.

Yes…I do. But, popping one in there right now is a problem. I don’t want to open the incubator with all the pipping. But…it is something I will definately put in there next time. Honestly tho…I have only used the incubators about 3 times each, so not sure that would be the issue. Especially since the chicken hatchings went well.

 

[Molpet]

Yes…I do. But, popping one in there right now is a problem. I don’t want to open the incubator with all the pipping. But…it is something I will definately put in there next time. Honestly tho…I have only used the incubators about 3 times each, so not sure that would be the issue. Especially since the chicken hatchings went well.

Chicks are easier.

I do dry hatch until lockdown.

 

[Yardmom]

I'm not familiar with hatching turkey eggs, but have done other species including ducks. Until lockdown your eggs should be loosing moisture. I wonder if your humidity might be a bit high during the first part of incubation. It is higher than what I would use for ducks.

 

[PolloGal]

Chicks are easier.

I do dry hatch until lockdown.

YES!! WHY are chicks easier?? I thought I was the only one thinking that! Is it that the turkey shells are harder? I just want to be able to have them safely hatch. UGH

 

[PolloGal]

I'm not familiar with hatching turkey eggs, but have done other species including ducks. Until lockdown your eggs should be loosing moisture. I wonder if your humidity might be a bit high during the first part of incubation. It is higher than what I would use for ducks.

I thought about that. It just made sense for it to be that (and I read about keeping it that high) so that the shell softens for them to pip and break through it. For chicks it is 45-55%, so it made sense to me that 63-65% would be a logical humidity for a harder eggshell.

 

[R2elk]

I thought about that. It just made sense for it to be that (and I read about keeping it that high) so that the shell softens for them to pip and break through it. For chicks it is 45-55%, so it made sense to me that 63-65% would be a logical humidity for a harder eggshell.

Your humidity is way too high during incubation. I incubate turkey eggs at about 35% humidity. I lock down at 65% to 70% humidity.

Forget about what you think the humidity should be and go back to the tried and proven method of either weighing the eggs or marking the air cell. If you have the proper humidity, the air cell will continue to grow in size so that it reaches the needed size by thew time the eggs are ready for lock down.

Hatching Eggs 101 by @Sally Sunshine

The difference between hatching chicken eggs and turkey eggs is chicken eggs take 21 days and turkey eggs take 28 days.

FYI, I also hatch chicks at about 35% humidity.

 

[R2elk]

Right now I have 13 bourbon reds in there. 5 or 6 have pipped (2 of them 48+ hours ago) but nothing is zipping.

If they have pipped and not zipped after 24 hours, it is time to check to see if they need help.

I only candle at lock down to make sure I am only moving viable eggs to the hatcher. There is nothing wrong with candling more frequently, I just don't do it.

My guess is that you are using too high of humidity during incubation causing the air cell to not develop sufficiently. This can cause the poults to drown at hatch time.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Like others I agree your humidity was to high during incubation
I do ducks and they need higher humidity and I still only do 40-45 % during and 65-70 in lockdown
If it’s been 48 hours since external pip I would be checking those eggs
If you have a bathroom with a shower you could move the bator in there
Turn on the shower ti hot and let it run a few mins
This heats the room and gives humidity so you can pull the egg out ti check it and not have it shrink wrap
A second though is did they external pip within the air cell ? If not they could take an extra 24 hours to hatch as they skip the air cell time so we add it to external pip
Running calibrated hygrometer and thermometer in the bator is key to making sure your accurate
Bators always seem off a little
Good luck and keep us posted