Constant Failure to Hatch and Hatchlings Dying

[Woollybottoms]

We have been raising chickens for years and have never had this problem. We have had broody hens for the last 2 months and we have had one lone chick to make it out of about 50 or more eggs now (of course it is a rooster baby on top of that!) Usually we have a 90% or better hatch/success rate. The babies are hatching and some are smaller than they should be and they are hatching with bloody/yolky backsides. These babies are dying as soon as they come out or last a day or 2 and then die. Many of the eggs are going bad before they even make it that far. I think I know the answer but wanted to check and see if I am right. Do you think it is simply due to the extreme heat we are having? (I am in Arkansas). I feel so badly for these poor hens that keep trying to hatch babies and the babies that seem to be suffering. Thinking I just need to pull them all off and hope we get some to go broody in the fall. Could this be something else disease wise?

 

[NEHorse]

I'm in Arkansas and having a very bad success rate as well - however, this is also my first year raising chicks inside, and out. So I am new and I know a lot of the mistakes are my own.

 

[sumi]

It could be because of the heat. Last year January we had a heatwave and I had 2 broodies sitting. They had 17 eggs between them and hatched only one chick. Also a rooster.

We normally have excellent hatch rates, so I definitely blame the heat for that flop.

 

[Woollybottoms]

That is kind of what I am thinking too. I am keeping my lone survivor rooster since I figure if he can survive 105 temps, he deserves it

 

[Skullacy]

I understand that this is an older post, but I am posting in here because this post is what made me realize what I did wrong.

I just had all but 1 of my first incubated hatch die. I believe it was from the higher heat, because from what I've read I should keep it at a nice 99-102 degrees in the incubator, nothing said anything about dropping the temperature when they started hatching. We ended up with everyone of them either lasting 1-2 days or baking in their shell while trying to get out. We have taken the 1 out and put it in the brooder since we've had good luck keeping them alive in there. I am pretty sure that the heat is what got your chicks, and mine.