What did i do wrong with 1st hatch to make the.2nd better?

[flipflops]

I just finished a batch and ready to start another. I wanted to detail what I did during first hatch to see what can make 2nd better?! Out of 31 eggs that made to lockdown 14 hatched, just lost 1 so far, so left with 13. Not very good
Here is what I did:
Shipped eggs, left sitting 24 hours point end down
Put in preheated and humidity ready bator 24 hours after sitting with Turner off for 3 days to allow air cells to settle
Temp was always 99.7-100.1 humidity was 40-48, sometimes would jump up some when adding water
I opened lid each time to add water
I candled at day 7, 14 and before lockdown, maybe once in between there also
Before lockdown I candled egg and marked air cell and laid eggs on side with the larger end of the air cell up. Humidiy set at 65-70. Never opened bator during lock down.

So this is basically what I did. Is there any t hing I can do different time for a more successful hatch rate? I am hatching silkies by the way.

Thanks guys!

 

[Altfrizzle]

How were the air cells?
Did you open the shells on the ones that didn't hatch, to try to determine what went wrong?
Was your thermometer and hygrometer calibrated?

 

[Nyla]

Did you use more then one Thermometer and Hygrometer? The ones that come on the incubators are not always accurate.
Also don't feel so bummed like it's your fault! It's not! Shipped eggs have big risks! With the way USPS handles packages, Your lucky some hatched! So you obviously did something right! Hang in there! We are all here for you!

I suggest getting these: LINK
They are accurate to a T! I bought 2 sets and they all match up and even match up with my known to be accurate thermometers and hygrometers! In the picture, I had only had them turned on for 5 minutes. After about 15 minutes they were completely the same!

 

[flipflops]

Yes sorry forgot to mention I had another hygrometer and temp inside incubator. Actually it and what my reader said on the incubator were close!
I had some air cells that developed the saddle but for the most part air cells were good.

 

[CuzChickens]

Honestly, you just got a typical shipped egg hatch rate. One time I had 37 shipped eggs, guess how many started developing? 5. Guess how many hatched? 4. Shipped eggs usually get horrible hatch rates.

 

[flipflops]

No one around here has quality silkies so I feel I need to get shipped eggs to get what I need.
The only thing I thought of that maybe I am doing wrong is the little red plug at the top, I left it in until lock down. I removed it after I started lockdown.

 

[CuzChickens]

No one around here has quality silkies so I feel I need to get shipped eggs to get what I need.
The only thing I thought of that maybe I am doing wrong is the little red plug at the top, I left it in until lock down. I removed it after I started lockdown.

The little red plug most likely helps regulate humidity. Taking it out at lockdown most likely lowered the humidity.

 

[flipflops]

I maintained 65-70 Humidity through lockdown with it out.

 

[CuzChickens]

I maintained 65-70 Humidity through lockdown with it out.

In that case, the red plug probably didn't affect anything.

 

[Simkie]

That sounds like a perfectly acceptable hatch rate on shipped eggs! You did a good job.

Did you open all the eggs that didn't hatch to see if they started developing at all, or where they stopped?