Some didn't make it

[Jefe]

I just ran my first batch of eggs in a new incubator and had some eggs that did not hatch. The incubator is set up with fan auto egg turner and both temp and humidity displays. It can handle up to 48 eggs but I only put 9 in. I waited a few extra days after the first three hatched and then it started to smell, so I took the remaining eggs out and opened them, three were not fertile and three had chicks but they were dead. Is this normal or could it have been avoided somehow?

 

[theuglychick]

What temp are you running at?

 

[bobbi-j]

Sometimes it just happens. I like to candle a couple of times during incubation to make sure the eggs are developing, and remove the ones that obviously aren't. There are a lot of factors that could have affected your hatch, but in my opinion an incubator just isn't as effective as a broody hen

 

[Jefe]

What temp are you running at?

I want to say it was 37.7 C the humidity at 18 days was under 60 % but went up to 64 at day 21

 

[theuglychick]

I agree that sometimes it just happens that way.

My birds egg production, fertility, and in-shell chick viability always takes a hit this time of year.

At what stage did the chicks die?

Were they feathered, pipped internally, in position to hatch?

Did aircells appear to have progressed properly?

 

[Chickassan]

Sometimes it just happens,but usually when a chick dies in the shell it wouldn't have lived or less of a chance of a healthy like even if would have hatched. Mama hen usually takes care of those eggs early on.Last hatch here was only six eggs, four hatched one stopped very early on and one had a fully formed chick with external deformities probably internal as well so even if it hatched it wouldn't have made it. If I'd have used a broody I would have probably never seen either of the bad eggs.

 

[Jefe]

Thank you all for the input. It is nice to know that it just happens sometimes. I will be trying a new batch after these ones get bigger and on their own.