Potential Issues with development in fertile eggs!!

[BellsCluckers]

This is my first time trying to hatch chicks. I have an incubator with a temperature of 99.5 and humidity between 55-60. I brought my eggs in and put them into a carton for a few days while I adjusted my incubator. I put the eggs in on the 20th and I left them alone for a full day then started to rotate them in the incubator. It is now the 25th so I decided I would see if any of them have started to develop. I see veins growing, and the light doesn't shine through the eggs, but I don't see the air compartment? It looks like some of the eggs yolks are spreading out around the egg. One egg I think was not fertile because the yolk floats to the top and bottom when observing the egg. I am wandering if my eggs are still good to keep incubating or if I may have eggs that will develop and have complications later in development??
Please give me some feedback!! Leave them or start over??

 

[AmyLynn2374]

This is my first time trying to hatch chicks. I have an incubator with a temperature of 99.5 and humidity between 55-60. I brought my eggs in and put them into a carton for a few days while I adjusted my incubator. I put the eggs in on the 20th and I left them alone for a full day then started to rotate them in the incubator. It is now the 25th so I decided I would see if any of them have started to develop. I see veins growing, and the light doesn't shine through the eggs, but I don't see the air compartment? It looks like some of the eggs yolks are spreading out around the egg. One egg I think was not fertile because the yolk floats to the top and bottom when observing the egg. I am wandering if my eggs are still good to keep incubating or if I may have eggs that will develop and have complications later in development??
Please give me some feedback!! Leave them or start over??

First when you candle, candle down into the egg from the air cell end. If you are candling from the bottom or side you will confuse yourself. If you shine the light down into the air cell, (even at a slight angle) you should see the air cell and the contents of the egg will be clearer. Second, 55-60% humidity for the first 17 days is way too high. What kind of incubator are you using and is it still air or forced?
If you can see the veining that is a good sign and you want to keep incubating.

 

[BellsCluckers]

Thanks for responding! OK so if 55-60 is too high what do you recommend for the first 17 days, and after 17 days?? I am using a farm innovator incubator, its a still air. I have one egg that had a yolk that was floating I think that was a dead in shell of non fertile.

 

[HappyChickInn]

Glad I saw this. I was candling with my light under the pointy end.I am keeping my humidity aroind 23-24 is this a safe level for days 1-18? Thanks

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks for responding! OK so if 55-60 is too high what do you recommend for the first 17 days, and after 17 days?? I am using a farm innovator incubator, its a still air. I have one egg that had a yolk that was floating I think that was a dead in shell of non fertile.

Still air incubators should maintain an average temperature of 101-102 taken near the top of the egg. 99.5 is what is recommended for forced air. I use the low humidity incubation (Also known as dry). I run dry providing the humidity stays above 25%. If it doesn't I add a wet sponge and try to keep it around 30%. There is no magic number for humidity because there are so many variables. The best way to judge is by monitoring your air cells. This is the method that I use: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

Another good BYC article is the hatching 101: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

 

[RubyNala97]

First when you candle, candle down into the egg from the air cell end. If you are candling from the bottom or side you will confuse yourself. If you shine the light down into the air cell, (even at a slight angle) you should see the air cell and the contents of the egg will be clearer. Second, 55-60% humidity for the first 17 days is way too high. What kind of incubator are you using and is it still air or forced?  
If you can see the veining that is a good sign and you want to keep incubating.

This!! I had trouble finding air cells the day my eggs arrived. I took Amy's advice and I shined the flashlight right on top of the fat end of the egg, ever so slightly tilting the flashlight to the left or right. And I saw them!! Look for the contrast in color. The air cell will be brighter! I'm also trying to keep humidity at 30%. Yesterday, I didn't even need any water in the incubator to keep it there. But I did need to calibrate my hygrometer. It was off by 7%. I used this method to test, if you havent already http://m.wikihow.com/Test-a-Hygrometer I hope this helps! I'm learning as I go too!