What Did I Do ?????

[nancylee]

My first time hatching eggs. I got a 1602N thermal air Hova-Bator.
No turner I did it 3 times a day. Temp stayed 99 to 100. Humidty around 50. All eggs were fertile 10th day candeling and growing.

5 days later I didn't think they grew much and could not see movement but thought I would leave them. 2 days before hatch I smell something (while trying to hear peeping) and oped bator and took one out, it smelled, candelled, didn't look good, opened, yep no good. along with the 5 others. Did I do something wrong.

My first time, dissapointed, but have to try again.
Any help what I might have done wrong might be able to help me with my next batch.
Thanks
Nancy

 

[Laney]

I'm not that experienced myself but so far it doesn't sound like anything you did. A few questions others will ask.

Were the eggs shipped? Were they your eggs? If they were your eggs have you or a hen hatched them successfully before? What breed/age were the hen/roo if they were your eggs?

Sometimes it's just something genetic that goes wrong and not something you did, just like a human miscarriage.

Laney

 

[k2chickens]

3 times is the bare minimum for turning. Personally i turned my eggs 5 times a day by hand on my first hatch this year and got an 85% hatch rate. Maby your chicks settled to one side of the shell some how due to not turning so much and the growing came to a stop?

 

[nancylee]

Thanks for the replies
The eggs were my own, I got the 2 hens 1 roster last month. I was told they had chicks before. They are Japanese Chickens. I know they have the lethal gene and thought that may have been the problem. But I would like to know before I start another batch if it was something I was doing wrong. First time with chickens and I am having a ball. (they are so funny)

(I want more)
Nancy

 

[happi752]

yep, sounds as if they didnt get turned enough. if doing by hand, should be about every 4 to 6 hours

 

[mstricer]

I only turned mine 3 times day except for when i had days off have same bator just hatched 4 out of 5 egss last night. didnt expect any. I kept my humitity right around 55 then upped it to 69 during last 3 days.

 

[chickenbottom]

Quote:
my uncle he hatched chicks all the time and he marked the eggs on one side with an x and the other an o and he turned them every 12 hours and had a great hatch rate.

 

[jenjscott]

Yes they "should" be turned more than twice a day, but that won't mess up a whole hatch. I have hatched plenty turning them twice a day with a few "oops, I forgot" in there. How sure are you on your candling? Of Course, jap eggs are notorious for dying in the shell (usually close to hatch) and for infertility. The only thing I can think of would be a temperature spike that you missed somehow. I have one of those cheap digital thermometers from walmart that has a max and min and you can check for temperature spikes.

 

[nancylee]

Hi Everyone
It may have been a temperature spike. I have no way of telling. I will have to get one of those digital thermometers that has a max and min they sound good. As for my candling I did see movement around day 10 or so, but no movement on 16. I did open them up (Yuck) they were fertile but not developed much. Next batch I will turn more. How often and when should you candle?
Thanks
Nancy