Quote:
Where are you getting your eggs from - your own flock or are you ordering them? Some diseases, like AE, are passed from the hen to the egg. However, I'm also wondering how hot is it in the brooder? It sounds like it may be too hot and not enough fresh air. I definitely would not leave them in incubator for days - too hot and humid and no fresh air flow. Chicks need lots of fresh air.
Actually I know it goes against common teachings but I take mine out of bator within an hour and have them in open brooder under heat lamp and have them eating and drinking before they can stand up. I put the wetted crumbles by their head and will find they start pecking at them before they can even walk. I give them water by wetting my finger and rubbing it along beak. As soon as they are walking I dip their beaks in water and hold them near water till they drink.
Once they are up and walking they immediately start eating and drinking on their own. Again I put the food on brooder floor and they scratch and eat. I feed them scrambled egg twice a day for first few weeks and add Poly-vi-sol to their water for first few days. Finally I get them outside in fresh air and sunshine from day two even if I have to put a heat lamp in cage because temps are still cool. If temps are 70 or higher I don't use a heat lamp in full sun.
Where are you getting your eggs from - your own flock or are you ordering them? Some diseases, like AE, are passed from the hen to the egg. However, I'm also wondering how hot is it in the brooder? It sounds like it may be too hot and not enough fresh air. I definitely would not leave them in incubator for days - too hot and humid and no fresh air flow. Chicks need lots of fresh air.
Actually I know it goes against common teachings but I take mine out of bator within an hour and have them in open brooder under heat lamp and have them eating and drinking before they can stand up. I put the wetted crumbles by their head and will find they start pecking at them before they can even walk. I give them water by wetting my finger and rubbing it along beak. As soon as they are walking I dip their beaks in water and hold them near water till they drink.
Once they are up and walking they immediately start eating and drinking on their own. Again I put the food on brooder floor and they scratch and eat. I feed them scrambled egg twice a day for first few weeks and add Poly-vi-sol to their water for first few days. Finally I get them outside in fresh air and sunshine from day two even if I have to put a heat lamp in cage because temps are still cool. If temps are 70 or higher I don't use a heat lamp in full sun.
