Need advice for eggs on day 22

[IvanK]

Hi all!

Ok, so I've scanned the forums finding bits and pieces of information but thought I'd ask directly as this is my first real go at incubating a lot of chicken eggs. I'd like to gather some thoughts on what's going on.
Here's a break down:

1) Temp has been consistent and accurate. RH well within all of the recommended parameters for the first 18 and last 3 days.

2) I candled eggs on day 18. Out of 24 eggs, 23 seemed viable.

3) Day 20 one little beauty hatched and is to this day an eating/pooping machine.

4) Day 21 three pipped and hatched...equally healthy and now in the brooder.

It's now the night of day 22 and it seems like an egg graveyard in the incubator. Not one new pip, no movement, no sound. It seems like an enormous ratio to hatched vs. unhatched. I have 19 eggs that I deemed viable just sitting there. My common sense tells me if one can hatch early, many can hatch late...perhaps I'm wrong. Worth noting is that my hens aren't that old...so perhaps the quality of embryo wasn't all that great?
Advice, suggestions, experiences?
Thank you kindly for your time

 

[AlleysChicks]

Tap the incubator and listen. Then do a candle and look for life.

 

[Altfrizzle]

I second that suggestion.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

 

[IvanK]

Tap the incubator and listen. Then do a candle and look for life.

Your idea was right on and I'm glad I candled them. I originally didn't want to handle the eggs so as not to disturb anything important but I saved myself a lot of time. It's hard to believe but it seems that all perished at some point in development. At the very least I have 4 very healthy chicks eating and drinking.
I have no idea why the mortality rate was so high...here's to hoping for better success in another 21 days

 

[AlleysChicks]

Your idea was right on and I'm glad I candled them. I originally didn't want to handle the eggs so as not to disturb anything important but I saved myself a lot of time. It's hard to believe but it seems that all perished at some point in development. At the very least I have 4 very healthy chicks eating and drinking.
I have no idea why the mortality rate was so high...here's to hoping for better success in another 21 days

I’m sorry you lost so many! I hope next round you have lots of chicks.

 

[RodNTN]

I am sorry for your big loss, but I am very happy for your gain of 4 adorable baby chicks!
The same thing happened to me, I set 12 eggs, and only got 4 chicks. I candled them before and after lockdown, and they were all viable.
That's just the risk of hatching though.

 

[IvanK]

Hi all! Just following up about 3 weeks later. The four that hatched back on December 20th are all doing great! Once I put them in the brooder, I reloaded my incubator and tried again. A few days ago I was blessed with a hatch rate of 19 out of 24!

I made one small change but don't know if that's what made the difference. My incubator's default is at 37.5 C and that's what I had it set at the first time around. For this latest incubation, I raised it to 37.7 C and voila! Again...not sure if this was the difference maker (it seems like such a small difference) but I sure have a lot of "little fuzzies" compared to the last time. I thought this might make an interesting follow up and perhaps someone can take something from it

 

[Kenny_]

Hi all! Just following up about 3 weeks later. The four that hatched back on December 20th are all doing great! Once I put them in the brooder, I reloaded my incubator and tried again. A few days ago I was blessed with a hatch rate of 19 out of 24!

I made one small change but don't know if that's what made the difference. My incubator's default is at 35.5 C and that's what I had it set at the first time around. For this latest incubation, I raised it to 35.7 C and voila! Again...not sure if this was the difference maker (it seems like such a small difference) but I sure have a lot of "little fuzzies" compared to the last time. I thought this might make an interesting follow up and perhaps someone can take something from it

Why is your temp so low? I thought 99.0 F is where we want it to be? That's 37.22 according to google. I use 38.0 which is like 100.4, but my incubator somehow loses a degree somewhere so it ends up reading 99 on my thermometer inside the incubator. Interesting to read everyone having different temperatures in their hatchings.

 

[IvanK]

Why is your temp so low? I thought 99.0 F is where we want it to be? That's 37.22 according to google. I use 38.0 which is like 100.4, but my incubator somehow loses a degree somewhere so it ends up reading 99 on my thermometer inside the incubator. Interesting to read everyone having different temperatures in their hatchings.

Sorry! That was typo...lol...my respective numbers should have been 37.5 C and 37.7!