What went wrong? 40 viable eggs going into lockdown, only 14 hatched!

[A-Texas-Man]

Eggtopsy done! They drowned. The Maran eggs were especially full of water. I think I will have to incubate them separately and run the bator really dry. I think keeping the humidity at 50% for the first 18 days was also a contributing factor, but that really high humidity spike overnight probably was the thing that was the death knell. The ones that got out early on day 19 and 20 before the humidity spike (they caused it), were the lucky ones.

 

[Finnie]

Eggtopsy done! They drowned. The Maran eggs were especially full of water. I think I will have to incubate them separately and run the bator really dry. I think keeping the humidity at 50% for the first 18 days was also a contributing factor, but that really high humidity spike overnight probably was the thing that was the death knell. The ones that got out early on day 19 and 20 before the humidity spike (they caused it), were the lucky ones.

I wouldn’t be so quick to blame the high spike in the humidity. It’s more probable that because of the relatively high humidity throughout the first 18 days, that there was just a lot of fluid in the eggs that didn’t get a chance to evaporate out. So when the chicks did their internal pip, they drowned. This would have happened with or without the spike.

Plus, that spike happens with each chick that busts out of its shell all sopping wet. It’s normal and not a problem.

The accepted advice is to incubate at 50% humidity, but in my experience, that is incorrect. I had a lot of “pip and drowns” when I was new and followed that advice. I especially noticed the pattern when I was incubating out in my garage, and as the season (spring to summer) progressed and my garage got more and more humid, the drown toll increased. So I stopped adding water during the first 18 days, and the problem immediately got solved.

I would venture that your survivors were simply lucky that they didn’t drown too. Not because they were first, but because they just luckily didn’t have too much fluid. And the later ones didn’t die because they were late, but rather they were “late” because they drowned (right on time).

I’m sorry for your bad experience. I know the frustration of seeing perfectly good chicks dead in their shells. The successes are what keeps us going, huh?

 

[A-Texas-Man]

I wouldn’t be so quick to blame the high spike in the humidity. It’s more probable that because of the relatively high humidity throughout the first 18 days, that there was just a lot of fluid in the eggs that didn’t get a chance to evaporate out. So when the chicks did their internal pip, they drowned. This would have happened with or without the spike.

Plus, that spike happens with each chick that busts out of its shell all sopping wet. It’s normal and not a problem.

The accepted advice is to incubate at 50% humidity, but in my experience, that is incorrect. I had a lot of “pip and drowns” when I was new and followed that advice. I especially noticed the pattern when I was incubating out in my garage, and as the season (spring to summer) progressed and my garage got more and more humid, the drown toll increased. So I stopped adding water during the first 18 days, and the problem immediately got solved.

I would venture that your survivors were simply lucky that they didn’t drown too. Not because they were first, but because they just luckily didn’t have too much fluid. And the later ones didn’t die because they were late, but rather they were “late” because they drowned (right on time).

I’m sorry for your bad experience. I know the frustration of seeing perfectly good chicks dead in their shells. The successes are what keeps us going, huh?

I will agree with you. Thanks for the great advice. I will definitely use it when I try again.

 

[Debbie292d]

I hatched over 500 silkies last year, all at 50% humidity until lockdown, then 70%.

It will literally rain in the incubator when dozens are hatching at once. Sometimes I'll lift a side for a few seconds and grab some empty shells. Then I do the other side, same thing. Other times, I wasn't around when they started hatching, and they made it fine without me doing that.

Your next hatch should go better. At least you have some chicks though so not a total loss!

 

[McChooky]

I plan on using the dry hatch method when I hatch my own chicks (not sure when that will be) Raising the humidity the last couple days comes with fewer risks supposedly! WV averages around 50% so adding water is very risky here. Wishing you the best!