Please help us problem solve our failed hatch!

PeepsForUs

In the Brooder
Mar 28, 2016
15
1
26
We purchased the Hovabator deluxe set from Amazon and proceeded with our first attempt to hatch a batch of chicks. Unfortunately at least half the batch must have not been fertilized because they failed to develop even slightly. The rest of them, I am not exactly sure. Of the fertile eggs, 3/4 of them failed to develop past the first week. We had two solid eggs that appeared to be developing well and we even saw movement in them. However, only one of them peeped on day 19 or 20 and we only heard the strong peeps on that day then all was silent.

Facts about the hatch:
We purchased our incubator, turned it on and made sure the temp had stabilized
We ordered the eggs from an ebay seller
The eggs were shipped on a Thursday, 2 day prioritymail from AZ and supposedly were from the Wednesday batch of eggs.
We let the eggs rest until Tuesday when we put them in the incubator.
We kept our temperature hovering between 99.3-100.0 and humidity at right about 45% until day 16 when we did lock down and raised the humidity to 65%.
4 days into the incubation we realized that the automated egg turner wasn't working. At this point we took all eggs out and and started hand turning them at 3 times a day.
On day 16 we did an early lock down as recommended by several posters on here regarding shipped eggs.
Day 19 or 20 we heard one chick peeping strong.
Day 21, nothing.
Day 22, nothing.
Day 23, nothing.
Day 24, nothing.
Day 25, opened incubator. No chicks, no holes in any eggs, no further development. Heartbroken, we pulled the plug.

I would like to try this again, but I honestly couldn't bear to lose another full batch of chicks like this! Can you help?

Sincerely,
PeepsForUs
 
Hatching shipped eggs is always problematic. Shipping can be rough on the eggs, leading to poor hatchability.

I would suggest setting some local eggs first to try your incubator out.

Calibrate a thermometer to double-check your readings. I would strongly recommend a Brinsea Spot Check thermometer.

Read through these articles to help figure what went wrong

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-failure-to-hatch-diagnosing-incubation-problems

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/diagnosing-hatch-failures-it-starts-with-the-egg
 
Hatching shipped eggs is always problematic. Shipping can be rough on the eggs, leading to poor hatchability.

I would suggest setting some local eggs first to try your incubator out.

Calibrate a thermometer to double-check your readings. I would strongly recommend a Brinsea Spot Check thermometer.

Read through these articles to help figure what went wrong

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-failure-to-hatch-diagnosing-incubation-problems

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/diagnosing-hatch-failures-it-starts-with-the-egg

I agree. Hatch rate for shipped eggs is usually only around 50% but if shipping was rough, that could be your problem!

I hope you do better on your next hatch!
 
Hatching shipped eggs is always problematic. Shipping can be rough on the eggs, leading to poor hatchability.

I would suggest setting some local eggs first to try your incubator out.

Calibrate a thermometer to double-check your readings. I would strongly recommend a Brinsea Spot Check thermometer.

Read through these articles to help figure what went wrong

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-failure-to-hatch-diagnosing-incubation-problems

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/diagnosing-hatch-failures-it-starts-with-the-egg
xs 2. Start with local eggs get your incubation practices narrowed down, then when you move to shipped eggs you'll have a better idea of whether it's the shipping or incubation practices that are the culprit.
 

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