Trouble hatching. Yet they develope fine.

[heidi73931]

I just cant figure out what keeps going wrong when its time to hatch. My eggs seem to grow and develope fine but when its time for them to hatch only a couple or none will hatch. I am able to keep my humidity where it needs to be so I'm not sure what goes wrong. I wonderd if it had something to do with how I layed them in the bator at lock down so I tried setting them in the cartons like some do and that hasn't helped. Anyone have any ideas

 

[MandyH]

Never trust just one hygrometer. It needs to be calibrated correctly or you need at least two to make sure you are not getting a false reading.

 

[BerrytangleFarm]

Same problem with our first hatch. Did you use shipped eggs? Ours came from across the country and I suspect that had something to do with it. Old eggs?

Will read answers with interest.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I suggest getting an Accurite Thermometer or something similar. Radio Shack and Wal-Mart carry them. I paid about $12 for mine. I always have two in each 'bator. I would think that you're having humidity issues.

When you say they develop but don't hatch--are they dried out in the shells? Or are they drowned?

How far along do they develop before quitting?

What is your humidity through incubation before lock down?

Are you opening the lid after lock down?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Your eggs, close/picked up eggs or shipped eggs?


Fan or still air incubator?



Good information - in case you have not read it: http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/troubleshooting_incubation.pdf

 

[heidi73931]

My bator is a still air and I have 3 therometers 2 that read humidity. keep heat at 101 and humidity around 40 ish for first 18 days. Then at lockdown i get humidity up to 70. If their are some eggs that aren't as far along as others I asume they died and I dont put them in at lockdown. I dont open the lid after lockdown. I had wondered if I was drownding them and thats the other reason I had wondered if leaveing them set up would help. All my eggs are shipped eggs. I know they all wont hatch being shipped. I dont understand why they start and grow for atleast 15-18 days and then quit.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I keep mine around 40% until hatching and then go to 60% for hatching itself. What is your relative humidity in your house? Mine is around 30% if I'm lucky, so it's pretty dry here...

Edited to add:

I no longer have any still air incubators...they worked fine for my reptiles but not well at all for my poultry eggs. I also have never used any temp other than 99.5 for still or forced air bators. I know they say to keep the stills higher but I was having even poorer hatches at the higher temps...

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I am close to Rare Feathers - super, super dry here and I run maybe 30% for the first 18 (I just keep the largest well filled daily) and then up to 55% for lockdown. I also have a forced air.

Do you keep your vent plugs in or out? I never use mine.

The last three days are the hardest on chicks - I think - they are getting into position and finishing up growing - all in a smaller and smaller area. Shipped eggs are also a huge gamble for me - most do not develop, when they do alot do quit about day 17/18.

Have you hatched your own eggs? Or eggs you were able to pick up locally?