Shell or membrane too thick?

[LaurEliz]

Hello! I am hatching legbar eggs and they’re due to hatch within this week, some even today (put a few in a couple days after the first, so they have slightly different hatching times.)

I noticed two yesterday appeared to have at least partially internally pipped. When I candled I could see a disruption in the air cell, and some movement, but no peeping, and I can still see the air cell, meaning they didn’t fully internally pip. Since last night and this morning I have not seen movement from these eggs. I am thinking either the shell or membrane is too hard. I have one more that has internally pipped, is filling the space the air cell is, and is peeping. I am not concerned with him. This is what I expect from the eggs. I’ve incubated dozens of times, usually with perfect or near-perfect hatch rates, so I haven’t experienced this issue before.

I am not sure if they internally pipped at all or maybe just tried to and stretched the membrane? I do not think they’re alive, but I’m not 100% sure. Does anyone have experience with this?

These are eggs my own hens laid, so they’re not shipped. Im just trying to understand what’s going on in an effort to correct the issue for the less developed eggs if it happens, or for future hatches.

Every other aspect of development was perfect. Humidity and temperature was consistent. The air cell appears to be the proper size. Everyone was turned correctly too.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There could be many other issues besides shell or membrane being too thick. Vigorous embryos should be able to break through any membrane or shell.
If the humidity has been high enough and incubator remained closed, the membrane shouldn't be a problem.
Another thing that could be a problem is nutrition. What were the hens fed for the month prior to egg collection?
That is a thing not often considered that can produce less than vigorous chicks. Whatever the hens ate prior to the egg being formed is all the nutrition available to the embryos.

 

[LaurEliz]

There could be many other issues besides shell or membrane being too thick. Vigorous embryos should be able to break through any membrane or shell.
If the humidity has been high enough and incubator remained closed, the membrane shouldn't be a problem.
Another thing that could be a problem is nutrition. What were the hens fed for the month prior to egg collection?
That is a thing not often considered that can produce less than vigorous chicks. Whatever the hens ate is all the nutrition available to the embryos.

They eat eggland’s best layer pellets and free range.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Free range isn't helpful in IL in January. Eggland's Best is sufficient for eating eggs but not hatching eggs.

 

[LaurEliz]

I also just noticed one of the ones with the “partial internal pip” has a crack. But it’s just a hairline crack. No raised shell or anything. I think I would’ve noticed that when candling before the hatch date, if it were there before. I don’t see movement from those chicks still. My third guy is peeping, but no pip. I’m not concerned about that though. I only started hearing him last night.

I’ve hatched other eggs with the same diet just fine, many times, the same time of the year too. Not to say your advice isn’t accurate or anything. I’m just searching for the changed variable here.

What feeds would you suggest for hatching eggs?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

While not found everywhere, breeder feeds are available.
In lieu of that, you can add poultry Nutri-Drench to their water or get Fertrell nutri-balancer to mix with feed. Start this at least 2 weeks before beginning hatching egg collection.
Another possible situation is the age of the feed. Do you check the mill date on feed before you buy it?
I needed feed and went to the feed store yesterday. Every bag was at least 3 months old and some 9+ months old. Vitamins and amino acids can diminish over that time.

 

[LaurEliz]

While not found everywhere, breeder feeds are available.
In lieu of that, you can add poultry Nutri-Drench to their water or get Fertrell nutri-balancer to mix with feed. Start this at least 2 weeks before beginning hatching egg collection.
Another possible situation is the age of the feed. Do you check the mill date on feed before you buy it?
I needed feed and went to the feed store yesterday. Every bag was at least 3 months old and some 9+ months old. Vitamins and amino acids can diminish over that time.

I did not check the age of the feed. We do put nutridrench in their water sometimes, though.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I never buy a bag of feed without checking the date. I have seen feed in stores up to two years old. You might as well be feeding dirt.

 

[LaurEliz]

I never buy a bag of feed without checking the date. I have seen feed in stores up to two years old. You might as well be feeding dirt.

I’ll be sure to do that from now on. I did notice all of my local Rural King’s feeds were wet and warm one day. I’ve avoided buying there ever since.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I’ll be sure to do that from now on. I did notice all of my local Rural King’s feeds were wet and warm one day. I’ve avoided buying there ever since.

My closest feed store never rotates their feed.
All they carry is starter and layer. None of the neighbors have chicks other than in spring. Other times of year, their starter feed is always old.
I have to travel well over an hour round trip to another state to get fresh feed.