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8. Troubleshooting

Problem	Possible Causes
Chicks hatch late	Large Eggs Old Breeding Stock Eggs have been stored for too long Weak embryos Inbreeding Incubator Humidity too high
Slow (drawn-out) hatch	Mix of eggs (different sizes, different aged breeding stock, different storage times) Poor egg handling Hot or cold spots in the incubator Incubator or Hatcher temperature too high or low
Sticky Chicks, smeared with Albumen (Egg white)	Low incubation temperature High incubation humidity Poor egg turning Old eggs Very large eggs
Chicks stuck in shell, dry, shell fragment stuck to feathers	Low humidity in storage Poor egg turning Cracked shell or poor shell quality
Premature hatching, bloody navels	Temperature too high
Small chicks	Small eggs Low humidity High temperature High altitude Thin, porous shells
Unhealed naval, dry, rough down feathers	High incubator temperature or temperature fluctuations Humidity too high when hatching Inadequate nutrition
Weak Chicks	High hatching temperature Poor hatcher ventilation Contamination
Chicks malpositioned	Eggs sat small end up position Inadequate turning Excessive turning at late stages Too high or too low temperature High humidity Old breeders Round shaped eggs Nutritional deficiencies Retarded development Poor egg handling or storage conditions
Malformations	Poor storage conditions Jarring of eggs Nutritional deficiencies Inadequate turning High or low temperature Inadequate ventilation
Crooked toes, bent legs	High or low temperature Poor nutrition (especially vitamin B)
Short down, wiry down	Nutritional deficiencies (especially riboflavin) High incubation temperature
Eyes closed, down stuck to eyes	Temperature too high in hatcher Chicks remain in hatcher too long after hatching Excessive air movement in hatcher
Exploding eggs	Dirty eggs from nest Eggs not washed properly Water condensation on eggs Water sprayed on eggs Contamination from earlier exploders Contaminations from handling with dirty hands
Dwarf embryos, runts in growing chicks	Egg contaminations Breeder diseases Nutritional deficiencies
Haemorrhage	Incubator or hatcher temperature too high Rough handling at transfer Nutritional deficiencies (vitamin K or E) Contamination
Swollen head and back of neck	Nutritional deficiencies
Small air cell, egg weight loss under 10%	High humidity Very thick shells Low temperature
Exposed brain	High incubation temperature Low oxygen levels

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