URGENT Hatching help please - what happened?

[Duck Breeder]

I am so sorry the only time that happened to me the temp got to hot in the incubator what kind of incubator do you have?

 

[NatJ]

View attachment 4091024View attachment 4091025
I opened the eggs. All chicks were dead
I have no idea why. They are fully formed

Here are a couple pictures; any ideas?
It's heartbreaking.

I'm seeing quite a few yolks that were not absorbed. So that tells pretty clearly when they died: after they were fully developed but before they finished absorbing the yolk. So they were probably within a day of hatching when they died.

I do not know why they died. It could have been something that happened about that time. But hatching is time of big changes for chicks, so there could have been something wrong much sooner and they survived until they reached that stage of development, and then couldn't make it.

There are various charts or lists of what can cause chicks to die at which stage of development. For example, this one from the University of Florida extension:
https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/IR/00/00/44/37/00001/AA20400.pdf
Maybe that list or some other list will have something that helps you figure out what went wrong.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I'm so sorry about your chicks...

 

[MyNYfarm]

Just saw this. Sounds like you killed them. Sad but true. I've hatched quite a few eggs and the chicks bump in to them and toss them around and it doesn't bother the unhatched eggs at all. They still hatch. Floating them and drilling in to them surely killed them. Don't do that next time.

They were ALL dead at the time I did that. Days past due and all movement and pipping stopped days earlier as well.
Other forums I belong to suggested it as a last ditch effort if death is reasonably suspected. They were dead before I did that

 

[MyNYfarm]

I'm seeing quite a few yolks that were not absorbed. So that tells pretty clearly when they died: after they were fully developed but before they finished absorbing the yolk. So they were probably within a day of hatching when they died.

I do not know why they died. It could have been something that happened about that time. But hatching is time of big changes for chicks, so there could have been something wrong much sooner and they survived until they reached that stage of development, and then couldn't make it.

There are various charts or lists of what can cause chicks to die at which stage of development. For example, this one from the University of Florida extension:
https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/IR/00/00/44/37/00001/AA20400.pdf
Maybe that list or some other list will have something that helps you figure out what went wrong.

Thank you. I noticed that as well. In fact, the last 2 that hatched had the yolk dragging outside the tail end. Those 2 were the ones showing serious neurological impairment. One passed naturally and I culled the other as it was suffering. Now to figure out what happened between day 19 when 6 hatched and all were moving and the death of all those that were moving. All I can think of is the 6 that hatched acting frantically and me opening the incubator to remove them. It was quick, 1° drop in temp momentarily and no change in humidity.
I had 2 extra thermometers and hydrometers in there to verify the accuracy of the factory gagesThe reply but toothpick was upsetting: "you killed them...
Don't do that again".... (Full reply in thread)
They were dead for a couple days at least before I desperately looked for any way to save any that might have been alive.
Again, thank you for your kindness. This is heartbreaking and I didn't need to read "you killed them"
.

 

[NatJ]

Thank you. I noticed that as well. In fact, the last 2 that hatched had the yolk dragging outside the tail end. Those 2 were the ones showing serious neurological impairment. One passed naturally and I culled the other as it was suffering.

I would guess that whatever caused so many to die, probably the same thing caused the problem with those two that hatched later.

Now to figure out what happened between day 19 when 6 hatched and all were moving and the death of all those that were moving. All I can think of is the 6 that hatched acting frantically and me opening the incubator to remove them. It was quick, 1° drop in temp momentarily and no change in humidity.
I had 2 extra thermometers and hydrometers in there to verify the accuracy of the factory gages

I do not think opening the incubator like that would cause them to all die. Lots of people open an incubator, take chicks out quickly, and then leave the rest of the eggs to finish hatching without trouble.

I am inclined to look at it a different way: most of the chicks had a problem that ultimately killed them. The 6 that hatched first were the only ones that did NOT have the problem.

Given how early those 6 hatched (day 19), I would try setting the incubator temperature a bit lower next time. High temperature can cause chicks to hatch early, higher yet can cause chicks to die, but I'm not entirely sure what stage they die if the temperature is just a bit too high.

The reply but toothpick was upsetting: "you killed them...
Don't do that again".... (Full reply in thread)
They were dead for a couple days at least before I desperately looked for any way to save any that might have been alive.

I noticed that response. That person thought you did the floating and drilling when the eggs were still alive and moving and making noise. If you had done it then, and the chicks then died, it would be reasonable to think you killed them.

But if you did those things after the chicks were already dead, of course you did not kill them. (Can't kill something that is already dead.)

So the person was making a reasonable guess based on how they read what you said. It can be hard to find a not-hurtful way to express something like that. (Their reading did not match what actually happened, but they did not realize that at the time they made the post.)

I can certainly see why you were upset reading that. Since you now know they mis-read the timing of things, you also know they were wrong to say you killed the chicks: but that does undo the hurt you felt when you first read their post!

 

[Duck Breeder]

They were ALL dead at the time I did that. Days past due and all movement and pipping stopped days earlier as well.
Other forums I belong to suggested it as a last ditch effort if death is reasonably suspected. They were dead before I did that

The old school guys don't understand when is okay to help we intubate 50 to 60 a year and we have got in down to a siance we never hurt or kill any birds they all get out safe and healthy. When you have been doing it for years you learn the signs of distress the last bird we messed up on was 3 years ago and over 100 success don't get me wrong if they can get out on there own great but sometimes they can't we candle 6 times a day while in lock down

 

[Duck Breeder]

You have to candle all the time and get a feel for it.

 

[MyNYfarm]

You have to candle all the time and get a feel for it.

I am very good at candeling. Was 100%% accurate with this batch of eggs. Those I pulled out early on as duds were in fact no good and with those I left in we're all fertile and developed. however, since the incubator should not be opened in the last 4 days, I didn't check them then. The eggs were moving and pipping. Told me they were alive and starting to hatch. That's a lot more than candling would tell me. Then they died suddenly?

 

[MyNYfarm]

"we candle 6 times a day while in lock down"

I was told not to open the incubator during lockdown, except very quickly to remove those that hatch before the others and are running around once they are fully dried.

How do you candle six times a day during lockdown and not affect temperature and humidity to the point it would damage the hatch rate?

My understanding is this is the most sensitive time and the incubator should not be opened unless absolutely necessary.

Can you explain how you candle them six times a day during lockdown, what you're looking for, and how you manage to do it without a temperature or humidity change? Thank you