Every single one looks like an early quitter, some earlier than others. We need a little more information to help you diagnose.
These are some pics on day 22 of my Jap bantam eggs. 3 pipped but sadly only one harched, the rest were all like this. Any ideas why the eggs were like this? All input appreciated
Thanks
Wow, in an Octagon? I'm a firm believer in those. When you say old, how old? What was your humidity dry hatching? My Octagon doesn't like anything under 40%. Was this your first hatch in it, or have you had successful hatches in it before?
Ok, so maybe it is an issue with the birds. I was about to say dry didn't work in the Brinsea, but if it has worked for you in the past then that may not be the issue. I would still invest in a decent hygrometer if you could, they aren't that expensive. I find my Brinsea to be extremely stable, but I would have no idea on the humidity if I didn't have a way to measure it. I usually have to fill both channels just to get 40-45% during the first 18 days, even during the summer. If it is an issue with your flock, maybe someone with more experience in that area will chime in. I've never had that experience. 2 weeks is pushing it on collection, and I try not to go more than 10 days. Did you turn them while you were saving them, or did you keep them still? Maybe to get your flock built up, instead of trying to fill the incubator, you could see how many you can collect in 10 days and then set those
Humidity is going to vary with the time of year and your location. Here in SC, in the southern US (I'm assuming you're from somewhere else since you used celsius), the air is naturally humid in the summer, dry in the winter. In the summer, I can maintain 42% with only one channel of water. In the winter I have to fill both, and close the air vent halfway. I have to add a paper towel to the bottom to wick enough water to maintain 65% for lockdown. I say all that to say that you will have to use the hygrometer to see what works for you, but I feel very confident in recommending 40-45% humidity. It very well could be a genetic issue, but maybe next time just incubate as many fresh eggs as you can gather in 10 days or less. Once you get a few extra hens around, then you flock will grow much more rapidly. Are they Japanese bantams? Were the other eggs you incubated large fowl? If so, maybe they will need a little different incubation setup than what you have normally used. I think if you go with fresh eggs and 40-45% humidity, we can eliminate the incubation as the problem, then you can start looking at the birds
