Why do my chicks keep getting shrink wrapped?

[UThobbyfarmer]

Yes after reading and researching a TON this evening, I now realize that 12 hours is too soon to mess with them, but the actual time was about 18 hours as they pipped the night before and I helped the following afternoon. But once shrink wrapped, they're doomed without help right?

With these two (they are currently doing well and I'm leaving the rest alone, no other pips yet) I learned they needed to absorb their yolk/blood up before assisting. These had some blood when I helped. Ugh. Always learning!

They don't need help. They need time Every minute they're in the shell they're doing something. Especially the last few hours. Those are critical to absorb blood and yolk. Which you've already learned. Chances of 14 chicks actually being shrink wrapped, when humidity was ok throughout hatch, are slim to none. Time to look into other causes including hatcher interference. I learned the hard way with my first hatches to wait that crucial 24 hours after pip before fiddling.

 

[Mellowmalt]

Every incubator is different and the humidity needed needs to be adapted accordingly. Like everyone has mentioned it will be the humdidity from day 1-18 that will have the biggest noceable effect. If air cells are large thats good but if it causes problems hatching every time then they were too large.
40-55% is a huge range. Like for me 40% would cause problems, 45% is the minimum I aim for, 55% is a bit too high long term.
So 40-55% is too vague to know if it was mostly at 40% with a few spikes higher or whether it was mostly 55% with a few dips down to 40% but I would suggest to try with an added sponge for first 1-18 days and see if it makes a difference.
Low humidity causes more problems in my opinion than a slightly too high humidity. When people say avoid high humidity it is meant high humidity that would cause water dropplets to start forming on the lid and get all steamed up - that is too high (even for lockdown) but otherwise don't go too low. Only professionals use dry hatching and only once they know their incubator can handle it. Generally small hobby incubators need higher humidity than the big industrial incubators.

 

[Offshoreorca]

I would keep the humidity steady and higher during the first 18 days - as mentioned, ambient humidity can make a difference on how easy this is to maintain. My air cells grow extremely slowly until a few days before hatch (they always look smaller than ideal) and I never ever have an issue with hatching. Also, 24 hrs is the ideal time to wait until helping an egg that is externally pipped as some chicks are just super slow to hatch. Once you are in and out of the incubator for one assisted hatch, you can then screw up the humidity level for the others and that might be why you figure they were shrink-wrapped. Humidity is a likely culprit, and the other would be that something has changed with the health and nutrition of your flock (this could be even simply a time of year diet change).

 

[Curnow]

My first thought is you said you only waited 12 hours before "helping". Is that correct? Regardless of what day they pip I never assist until a full 24 hour post external pip.

What you're describing sounds like the eggs lost too much moisture. Seasonal changes in ambient humidity could be affecting weight loss. I would take a closer look at humidity day 1-18 not lockdown. Start weighing your eggs during incubation for a better idea of what's happening.

These are the sites I use for trouble shooting rough hatches. I hope they'll help you dial in on your issues.

https://web.extension.illinois.edu/eggs/res24-00.html

http://extension.msstate.edu/content/trouble-shooting-failures-egg-incubation

I have to add that I notice quite a bit of blood on your fingers and the shells. TOO SOON TO HELP THEM OUT!

 

[aart]

Air pockets were large and on the correct end of egg. I'm not sure what to look for with the air pockets really though,

 

[casportpony]

If they are looking like this on days 22 & 23, I wonder if your thermometer is reading low?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have hatched sucessfully 7 times now with the same incubator, a nurture right 360 from TSC.

What day did they hatch on? Were they early or late? I consider it normal for some to hatch even a full day early or late but if they are consistently either early or late you may need to confirm your hatching temperature. Calibrate your thermometer to make sure it is correct. Same thing with your hygrometer. Calibrate it to make sure it is reading right.

The last two times now every chick has pipped and then zero change for around 18 hours. I have had to help them all hatch. My first 5 hatches they all did great unassisted.

Then something has changed. What? Are you incubating in the same spot or are you in a different place, even across the room? That can make a difference. A different time of the year? Was the incubator damaged? Are you opening or closing ventilation holes differently? From your write-up I can't see anything obvious but to consistently get different results something has to be different.

 

[EllieandOlive]

They don't need help. They need time Every minute they're in the shell they're doing something. Especially the last few hours. Those are critical to absorb blood and yolk. Which you've already learned. Chances of 14 chicks actually being shrink wrapped, when humidity was ok throughout hatch, are slim to none. Time to look into other causes including hatcher interference. I learned the hard way with my first hatches to wait that crucial 24 hours after pip before fiddling.

The last hatch with the 14 chicks I had a humidity drop down to 59% when I added cool water I believe that's the only thing 'bad' that happened that hatch.

 

[EllieandOlive]

Every incubator is different and the humidity needed needs to be adapted accordingly. Like everyone has mentioned it will be the humdidity from day 1-18 that will have the biggest noceable effect. If air cells are large thats good but if it causes problems hatching every time then they were too large.
40-55% is a huge range. Like for me 40% would cause problems, 45% is the minimum I aim for, 55% is a bit too high long term.
So 40-55% is too vague to know if it was mostly at 40% with a few spikes higher or whether it was mostly 55% with a few dips down to 40% but I would suggest to try with an added sponge for first 1-18 days and see if it makes a difference.
Low humidity causes more problems in my opinion than a slightly too high humidity. When people say avoid high humidity it is meant high humidity that would cause water dropplets to start forming on the lid and get all steamed up - that is too high (even for lockdown) but otherwise don't go too low. Only professionals use dry hatching and only once they know their incubator can handle it. Generally small hobby incubators need higher humidity than the big industrial incubators.

ThIs hatch they were on the 55% side with occasional drops to 40ish.

 

[EllieandOlive]

I have to add that I notice quite a bit of blood on your fingers and the shells. TOO SOON TO HELP THEM OUT!

Yes I learned that after more research yesterday