why are my eggs dying during lock down? - need incub. expert

[The Lisser]

My first hatch - last week - was pretty good - 5 out of 7 eggs hatched. One had died a bit earlier than lock down but the other one obviously died during lock down.

My second hatch - the last couple of days - 1 out of 5 hatched. Now, I did have a temp spike around day 15/16 -- but candled and saw movement in one of the eggs before putting in to lockdown. (Not the one that hatched). It's been over 30 hours since my one chick hatched so I decided to candle and examine the remaining eggs. The one that I opened up showed no movement before I opened it. It had pipped into the air cell but apparently died after that. Did not pip the shell. It had absorbed about half of the yolk. Perfectly formed baby.

Could my humidity be too high during incubation and my babies are too big to hatch? Incubation humidity was 55-60% and lockdown was 65-72%. My temps were between 99-100, except for the temp spike. The membrane was not dried out - the chick was not "shrink wrapped". The one chick that did hatch came from a porous egg that I had thought wouldn't make it.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any clues to this mystery.

 

[mrslb333]

I had the same sort of problem I changed to 40% humidity throughout including lock down and my hatch rate has gone up drastically.

 

[The Lisser]

Thank you, mrslb333 - I will definitely lower the incubation humidity next time!!!!

 

[SunnyDawn]

Yes, from what I've read, most incubation problems are caused from too much humidity.

 

[lazyoranch]

Does anyone know at what percent of humidity shrink-wrapping occurs? Just wondering. I, too, have lost many babies during lockdown. Thanks. Does this make sense to anyone? After reading my question, I don't know if it makes sense to me!! Ha!!

 

[Tsagirl]

Yes its high humidity! wow! Ok....

need to get them about 55% humidity to 60% and I think you will be fine. Sounds like they drowned. Soooo when I send you more eggs you need to test this theory.

I want you to have more millie babies, they are just precious.

keep you head up it will be better next time.

 

[Katy]

For my location that amount of humidity is too high and I'd have a lot of drowned chicks. Everyone has to figure out what works for their location...for me it's about 30% during incubation and then 60-65% for the last 3 days.

 

[The Lisser]

Is there anyone in northwest NC that can tell me what humidity they use for incubation & lockdown?

Does it matter what kind of chicks? The silkies did quite well, but the d'uccles - obviously that was too high.

Thanks again!

Melissa

 

[flgardengirl]

Have you calibrated your hygrometer lately? Sometimes it will say one thing and be another....

 

[jmorriso]

I ran mine around 40% during incubation and as high as I could get it for lock down. Ended up being about 73%. I'm in NW Arkansas. From what I've read you want to have lower humidity throughout the incubation for a good air sac formation, but then higher humidity for the hatch to help prevent shrink wrapping. The article below is what I based my first hatch on, and I had 100% hatch rate for my eggs that were fertilized (and I didn't drop while candling!)

Dry Incubation