Should I get a new incubator?

[gracieracer]

I'm so bummed out. Out of 30+ eggs (duck and chicken mixed), only three have hatched. Wondering if there is something amiss w/my still air incubator and egg-turner. I've used it for 8 years with no major hatching failures. Bought a new thermometer this year and the temp appears to be holding steady around 100 degrees.

I have maran eggs that are 3 days past due, ducks eggs that had movement five days ago, but appear to be dead now, and another dozen eggs that I just started.

It was cleaned and sanitized thoroughly last fall, set in the sun for a few days for good measure, and smelled clean when I first started incubating this season.

In previous hatches, I kept the water reservoirs filled, one hole open and the temp at 99.5. Nothing has changed this year so I'm at a complete loss.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, I'm very discouraged every time I open a "dead egg" and find a fully formed duckling/chick in it that died. :-(

Thanks!

Kathy

 

[gracieracer]

Just opened a maran egg. Chick is fully formed and dead. Ugh.

 

[Jordi15]

Im a newbie but didn't read anything about your humidity? I'm currently dry hatching... I up my humidity from 30% to 60-70% in the a.m for lockdown. You sound like you have done this a while and know a lot more than me so maybe you're right and you need a new incubator... I've read a lot on byc about fully formed chicks dying in the shell because of "shrink wrapping."

 

[chickydee64]

Hi,
The missing pieces for me are the humidity and what day they were on???????????????
I use LG's still air without problems..............but 8 years does seem pretty old.
Guess if you did a dry run maybe to see if it holds it's temp and humidity it would answer the question.
I am sorry about your hatch.

.I know how disheartening that is.................

 

[gracieracer]

The chick I saw this evening had plenty of fluid in the shell -- maybe too much?

The temp is always consistent whenever I check it, I haven't seen any fluctuations.

It must be the humidity. I've never used a hygrometer because I've never had problems until this year. If something's going on with the incubator, checking the humidity throughout the day should let me know if it's that or something else.

Off to the store for a hygrometer tomorrow -- wish me luck and thanks!

Kathy

 

[gracieracer]

Re: what day, today was Day 25 for the maran eggs. With the duck eggs, 32 days w/no pipping.

 

[Jordi15]

I definitely think they should have hatched by now 25&32 days is a while