HELP!! Thick membrane preventing hatching

[coffee_and_quail]

I just had to assist 5 chicks that pipped over 24 hours ago but were making no progress. They were yelling in their shells and struggling like crazy. When i went to intervene the membrane (outer) was SO thick and rubbery. There is no way they would have been able to puncture it. How do I prevent this from happening again? Perfectly healthy chicks would have died in the shell without intervention.

The temp and humidity are the same we always use with this incubator. Food is also the same. The only differences I can think of is that we added a few new breeders and we've had an insane heat wave (so maybe stress?).

 

[Nabiki]

What was your humidity at during hatch? It could be the new stock, but it could be other factors as well. Did you open the incubator more than usual?

 

[coffee_and_quail]

What was your humidity at during hatch? It could be the new stock, but it could be other factors as well. Did you open the incubator more than usual?

50% until lockdown, then at 70% for lockdown. The only time we opened the incubator was to take out the turner for lockdown, we didn't even candle this group (usually we open it at least twice to check fertility).

 

[brandiscott]

This also happened to me last hatch. I was disappointed at day 19 with hate rate. Went investigating and found 8 pipped eggs and helped them along. All but 2 did well. We had a heat wave here in KY also, and I keep my humidity pretty consistent. Consistently inconsistent if that makes sense

 

[coffee_and_quail]

This also happened to me last hatch. I was disappointed at day 19 with hate rate. Went investigating and found 8 pipped eggs and helped them along. All but 2 did well. We had a heat wave here in KY also, and I keep my humidity pretty consistent. Consistently inconsistent if that makes sense

Okay then maybe it is the heat wave. I'm in TX and it's been like 100s daily for the past few weeks. The ones I helped out came out basically running, like I don't think they would have lasted much longer stuck in there. Makes me sad to possibly lose healthy chicks just because the membrane is being stupid.

 

[The Ranch Girl]

We have duck eggs. That are being raised by chickens. we have to mist the eggs with water everyday otherwise the membrane will be to hard for them to get through. If they were being raised by ducks the would get it wet themselves after swimming in the pond.
I dont know if this would help but it could be worth a try.