Eggtopsy 21 day failed to hatch

[chookcomplex]

I set out with a hatch with 14 eggs, by day 10, 9 I felt were viable because I could see veins but its day 23, 1 hatched healthily on day 20, 2 hatched early on day 21. The rest of the eggs have been non responsive and its day 23 now. I only opened the incubator when it was time to wet the towel in there.

I find that with the temperature at 37.5 C, even though I kept the humidity 50-55, the weight loss of the egg was ahead of schedule so from day 10-day 21 i kept the humidity always at 60+ , averaging probably 80%.

The calibrating thermometer reported temp discrepencies twice only around the times when the eggs hatched. Even though the incubator said it was 37.8 degrees, the meat thermometer said it went up to 39C and at one point hit at least 40C. Is that normal? I heard of it getting more humid when eggs hatched but hotter? I didn't make any adjustments to temp thinking, if it was because of the hatches, it would sort itself out.

Now eggtopsy... one egg actually externally pipped on day 21 but on the end away from the air cell. If I had known , I would have intervened sooner. Here is that chick that I recovered once I confirmed it to be completely unresponsive by attempting an assist. The head was between the legs, the legs where facing the air cell, I don't actually understand how it managed to pip a small area on incorrect side of the egg. It hadn't absorbed the full yolk as you can see with the yellow i think. I'm wondering if the temperature spikes did it and the other eggs but ill have to wait and hope I get stragglers.

 

[mcdze]

sounds like you need to get your temps sorted .. get a digital gauge on ebay and set it up at 'egg level' next time .. also have your bator in a draft free location and cover it loosely with a towel if temps will not hold steady to help stabilize it ... eggs are interesting creations, they can stop and restart and delay a hatch sometimes, i always give them a couple of extra days if theyre obviously not clear and undeveloped .. the other issue can be of course overtemp, that will kill anything, even occasionally too hot, dont let that happen .. also i wouldnt focus so much on humidity, just keep some water present in the bator and replenish it about every 4 days to the 'same' level, dont overdo water in a smaller bator ... air sac - i wouldnt try to interpret that, ive seen perfect hatches with all sorts of deviations in those ... but mostly, get your temps sorted ..