Fully developed chicks not hatching?

[smileygreen64]

I am new to all of this,and I need some advice. I have hatched 4 batches of eggs in the incubator. I get chicks every time but my hatch rates are not good. I keep my humidity about 40% and then bump it to about 70% for lockdown. I keep getting fully developed chicks that aren't hatching. They make it to lockdown, and I see movement. I candle each egg as they move to the hatcher. When its time to hatch though I am losing chicks. Some never pip and some do. I tested my hygrometer using the salt test. It is accurate. When I open the eggs they are fully developed with the yolk sac absorbed. The membrane looks good on most of them when I open them up. I wait until day 25 to start opening eggs. Any advice or something different to try?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I am new to all of this,and I need some advice. I have hatched 4 batches of eggs in the incubator. I get chicks every time but my hatch rates are not good. I keep my humidity about 40% and then bump it to about 70% for lockdown. I keep getting fully developed chicks that aren't hatching. They make it to lockdown, and I see movement. I candle each egg as they move to the hatcher. When its time to hatch though I am losing chicks. Some never pip and some do. I tested my hygrometer using the salt test. It is accurate. When I open the eggs they are fully developed with the yolk sac absorbed. The membrane looks good on most of them when I open them up. I wait until day 25 to start opening eggs. Any advice or something different to try?

My suggestion, if you are not in a high elevation or doing bantam eggs, try a dry incubation and monitor air cells. Most often Chicks that make it to lockdown and hatch and don't make it is humidity related, more than not on the high side. I use this method and swear by it: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
The ones that are hatching are hatching on time, right?

 

[smileygreen64]

I tried dry incubation. It was terrible for me. I had one pip out of a dozen. The air cells were way too big, and when I opened the eggs the memebranes were dry and tight around the chick.

My eggs that do hatch are usually on time. Sometimes a few are a day early or late but nothing extreme.

I keep track of air cell size and that looks good based on the pictures and diagrams I have seen. I just got a kitchen scale. I am going to try and weigh the eggs next batch. I will read up on the link you posted.

Thanks

 

[chickens really]

@WVduckchick

 

[WVduckchick]

What type of incubator are you using? Still air or fan? What temperature are you running? Have you verified your thermometer? (I assume so, since you did the salt test on the hygrometer).

Then consider the eggs. Are they from your flock or shipped eggs or local eggs? Breed and size play a part too, some breeds are more difficult.

Then consider parent stock. Are the parents healthy, etc.

Good luck, and keep trying. Unfortunately its a bit of trial and error.

 

[smileygreen64]

What type of incubator are you using? Still air or fan? What temperature are you running? Have you verified your thermometer? (I assume so, since you did the salt test on the hygrometer).

Then consider the eggs. Are they from your flock or shipped eggs or local eggs? Breed and size play a part too, some breeds are more difficult.

Then consider parent stock. Are the parents healthy, etc.

Good luck, and keep trying. Unfortunately its a bit of trial and error.

It is an old cabinet incubator with a fan. GQF 1200 series I believe. I run my temperature at 99.5 and I have tested the thermometers. The eggs are mine or local. If I drive a long way with them I let them settle a day before I set them. I have a hatcher that I move them to. Its the same as the incubator, but no turners.

I am going to try a different humidity in the hatcher this time. I am fairly confident that is where the issue is. They look good going into the hatcher and I tap the eggs and usually see movement. I candle every egg during the transition from incubator to hatcher.

Thanks. Maybe this go around will be better.

 

[BluesLadies]

Is there any information out there on turning the eggs over if they are late? I just incubated ten bantams and there was six eggs that hadn't pipped by day 25. I moved the three that hatched out and the one that pipped and died. My husband then turned the remaining eggs looking for pips and by morning I had four more hatch. Maybe I just didn't wait long enough, but within hours of him turning them they started to pip.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I tried dry incubation. It was terrible for me. I had one pip out of a dozen. The air cells were way too big, and when I opened the eggs the memebranes were dry and tight around the chick.

My eggs that do hatch are usually on time. Sometimes a few are a day early or late but nothing extreme.

I keep track of air cell size and that looks good based on the pictures and diagrams I have seen. I just got a kitchen scale. I am going to try and weigh the eggs next batch. I will read up on the link you posted.

Thanks

I don't run less than 25-30% if I can't achieve that dry I add a sponge.

It is an old cabinet incubator with a fan. GQF 1200 series I believe. I run my temperature at 99.5 and I have tested the thermometers. The eggs are mine or local. If I drive a long way with them I let them settle a day before I set them. I have a hatcher that I move them to. Its the same as the incubator, but no turners.

I am going to try a different humidity in the hatcher this time. I am fairly confident that is where the issue is. They look good going into the hatcher and I tap the eggs and usually see movement. I candle every egg during the transition from incubator to hatcher.

Thanks. Maybe this go around will be better.

Almost everyone that I know that uses the cabinet incubators actually run 50% ish I only know one or two that successfully run low humidity incubation in the bigger cabinet bators.

Is there any information out there on turning the eggs over if they are late? I just incubated ten bantams and there was six eggs that hadn't pipped by day 25. I moved the three that hatched out and the one that pipped and died. My husband then turned the remaining eggs looking for pips and by morning I had four more hatch. Maybe I just didn't wait long enough, but within hours of him turning them they started to pip.

After 2 weeks the turning doesn't do much for them, but I am constantly handling mine through hatch so they don't sit untouched for days...lol

 

[smileygreen64]

I havent heard that about the humidity needing to be higher in the cabinet incubators. I have been afraid to bump my humidity too high because I know that can cause problems, and I have been running on the high side of what I have read others doing.

I will try running a little higher humidity.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I havent heard that about the humidity needing to be higher in the cabinet incubators. I have been afraid to bump my humidity too high because I know that can cause problems, and I have been running on the high side of what I have read others doing.

I will try running a little higher humidity.

Thanks for the advice.

See I rely on my air cells, not numbers. I just use the numbers as a guideline. I'd be nervous running that high too, but it's just something I noticed talking to others.