I am having a problem with the chicks dying near the end of incubation. I had 1 survivor this time around. I left the eggs in for 26 days just in case they where late bloomers. No such luck. I opened them all and out of 10 there was 12 taht had tiney chicks, 1 not fertile and the rest had almost fully developed chicks. Their youlk sac was busted on about half and the others where in tact but the chicks where dead.
I have an old bator that I have to open to turn the eggs. It is a metal case and round just in case somebody knows the type. The temp and humidity was good for most of the time this time. It warmed up outside so it spiked up to 103 for just a few minutes and I immediately opened it and fanned the eggs with a plastic lid to cool them off quick. Then put the lid back.
The bator is located in the hall near the bathroom door so the temp and humidity gets checked everytime I walk by. I have a flashlight sitting next to it to see the temp without having to open it. It gets opened 3 X's a day to turn and I do it quickly.
The temp stayed between 99 and 100 and humidity was 38 to 50. For a straight week it stayed exactly at 99.5 and 50%. On the last 3 days I take out the eg carton the eggs sit in and put in more sponges to raise the humidity as I was told to before. I got it up to 63%.
The one chick I got I truely beleive was from when I was takiing out the egg carton I dropped it on top of another egg and cracked it and there was also a chip. I put it in and it actually hatched 2 days early. It is doing fine and is eating and drinking. I bought him a couple of brooder buddies to keep him company and they play and chirp and eat and do waht chicks do.
I would love to know what I am doing wrong that is killing the chicks just as their almost done. I have made arrangements to buy some eggs to top off my flock with a few fancy birds and EE's for the colored eggs. I don't want to loose all of them.
Someone please help.
Here is a pic of the lone chick. He hatched this past sunday (4/19)
I have an old bator that I have to open to turn the eggs. It is a metal case and round just in case somebody knows the type. The temp and humidity was good for most of the time this time. It warmed up outside so it spiked up to 103 for just a few minutes and I immediately opened it and fanned the eggs with a plastic lid to cool them off quick. Then put the lid back.
The bator is located in the hall near the bathroom door so the temp and humidity gets checked everytime I walk by. I have a flashlight sitting next to it to see the temp without having to open it. It gets opened 3 X's a day to turn and I do it quickly.
The temp stayed between 99 and 100 and humidity was 38 to 50. For a straight week it stayed exactly at 99.5 and 50%. On the last 3 days I take out the eg carton the eggs sit in and put in more sponges to raise the humidity as I was told to before. I got it up to 63%.
The one chick I got I truely beleive was from when I was takiing out the egg carton I dropped it on top of another egg and cracked it and there was also a chip. I put it in and it actually hatched 2 days early. It is doing fine and is eating and drinking. I bought him a couple of brooder buddies to keep him company and they play and chirp and eat and do waht chicks do.
I would love to know what I am doing wrong that is killing the chicks just as their almost done. I have made arrangements to buy some eggs to top off my flock with a few fancy birds and EE's for the colored eggs. I don't want to loose all of them.
Someone please help.
Here is a pic of the lone chick. He hatched this past sunday (4/19)
