What did I do wrong?

[shelley]

I incubated 6 pekin bantam eggs 2 were infertile 1 didnt grow 1 died late on and 2 just didnt hatch even though they were fully formed and kicking on day 17 before I closed the incubator. I used a home made incubator out of a polystyren box and a heat lamp on a dimmer switch and the temperature was at 100 degrees F I had the humidity at 30% up to day 17 and 60% day 18 onwards any clues as to what I can do different next time?

 

[BeckyLa]

Sometime I wonder if there aren't babies that just don't want to be born...grrr.....

From everything you're saying, it sounds to me like you humidity was too low for the first 17 days. I think it should be closer to 50% and then raised to 70%-80% for hatching.