I have a Question aboutHatching chickens--

[ktskts]

I have several just hatched chicks to rupture and their insides to come out thus killing the chick. Does anyone know what I did wrong? This happened shortly after they hatched. Generally before moving to the brooder.

 

[ginasmarans]

Sounds like maybe they didn't fully absorb the yolk. Sometimes the more weaker chicks have problems. Are they hatching on their own? Are they hatching on time? Make sure you leave them unbothered in the incubator until the hatch is complete. They can go up to 3 days,living on the absorbed yolk, with no problem. Sorry about your chickies. It's heartbreaking to see them die.

 

[ktskts]

They are hatching by theirselves and sometimes living perfectly a couple of days and then the rectum area breaks open and the unabsorbed yolk comes out.

 

[JamesC]

Unabsorbed yolk sacks is a result of high humidity during the first 18 days of incubation and sometimes combined with high temperatures. If your chicks hatched on time (21 days) then your temperature was correct but you had too much water in the incubator during the first 18 days. The egg must lose approx. 15% of its total weight in the form of moisture during that time. Usually that results in chicks that don't hatch but drown when they begin to breath but some will hatch and have the yolk sack on the outside of the body which ruptures.
What kind of incubator do you use and where did you put the water for the first 18 days?

James

 

[ktskts]

It is a cheap sterofoam incubator. I put the water in the tray just like the instructions said.

 

[kstaven]

Many of us have been there in the past with following directions on the hova or little giant. What they don't take into account when telling you to fill the trays is the outside humidity. So you did everything by the book as many do when first getting a styrofoam incubator and unfortunately had to much humidity.

For the next hatch make sure you have a good hygrometer and everything will be fine.

If you are using the thermometer that came with it I would suggest replacing it also. The are notorious for inaccuracies.