Dead Chicks?

[BarrettG]

I have a little hole and a bigger hole that has a red plug in it. Should I take that plug out during hatching time? I am never leaving them in there that long again.

All my chicks died! It almost had me depressed :-(

 

[chicapee]

I have a little hole and a bigger hole that has a red plug in it. Should I take that plug out during hatching time? I am never leaving them in there that long again.

All my chicks died! It almost had me depressed :-(

So sorry for your loss, that is very sad. I have all vents wide open throughout incubation and hatch.

 

[enola]

Did the last two chicks die after you opened your vents?

 

[enola]

Are you sure your vents on the bottom of the incubator are open?

 

[kuchchicks]

I am so very sorry! This is the worst. All the time getting excited for the hatch, successful hatch, and then they die after.

I went through something similar in January. I lost 10 chicks. They were about 9 weeks old though at the point they were dying. I was able to determine it was coccidosis... not sure why they got it. They had never been outside, brooder was clean, they were never exposed to older birds. I felt so helpless. But immediately after beginning treatment I was able to save the rest of my birds. I know you feel sad and depressed and it is understandable. I am sending love and good thoughts your way.

For your next hatch, I would definitely take them out of incubator after they are done. I started this practice after I lost several in the incubator. Since then I have never had any chicks die in the bator. I know this does not help you now or make you feel better, but hopefully you will never have to go through this again.

 

[BarrettG]

I am so very sorry!  This is the worst.  All the time getting excited for the hatch, successful hatch, and then they die after. 

I went through something similar in January.  I lost 10 chicks. They were about 9 weeks old though at the point they were dying.  I was able to determine it was coccidosis... not sure why they got it.  They had never been outside, brooder was clean, they were never exposed to older birds. I felt so helpless.  But immediately after beginning treatment I was able to save the rest of my birds.   I know you feel sad and depressed and it is understandable.  I am sending love and good thoughts your way.

For your next hatch, I would definitely take them out of incubator after they are done.  I started this practice after I lost several in the incubator.  Since then I have never had any chicks die in the bator.  I know this does not help you now or make you feel better, but hopefully you will never have to go through this again. 

Thank you so much! I feel horrible because it's like I did something wrong. I did the sugar water save a chick too. I bleached the Bator and just put some more eggs in yesterday.I forgot my Bator has vents on the bottom. They are always open.Do you know anything I can do differently?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have a little hole and a bigger hole that has a red plug in it. Should I take that plug out during hatching time? I am never leaving them in there that long again.

All my chicks died! It almost had me depressed :-(

Yes. Open it.

Thank you so much! I feel horrible because it's like I did something wrong. I did the sugar water save a chick too. I bleached the Bator and just put some more eggs in yesterday.I forgot my Bator has vents on the bottom. They are always open.Do you know anything I can do differently?

I would try incubating with the plugs out from the beginning if you can keep the temp where it needs to be with them open. I have my vents open for the entire incubation process. It sounds as if they weren't getting air and maybe too much carbon dioxide built up. Even if you incubate with the plugs in, at hatch those plugs need to be out so air can circulate. So I would make sure the plugs are out at least for hatch and go back to pulling them out and putting them in the brooder once they are active if that makes you feel better. I'm just curious, what made you decide to leave them in this time if you normally took them out? (Not that there is anything wrong with that. I'm just curious.)

 

[enola]

Kuchchicks, coccidia are everywhere. Every chicken in the world even have them in their digestive system at all times. Being stressed is what allows the coccidia to get a foothold on your chick's health and cause problems. There are many different strains of coccidia. That is why when you take chicks out of the brooder and put them on dirt, some of them will get sick. The dirt will have a strain of coccidia that the chick does not have an immunity to.

Does this help you understand a little better?

 

[kuchchicks]

It does. Thanks for input!

 

[BarrettG]

Yes. Open it.

I would try incubating with the plugs out from the beginning if you can keep the temp where it needs to be with them open. I have my vents open for the entire incubation process. It sounds as if they weren't getting air and maybe too much carbon dioxide built up. Even if you incubate with the plugs in, at hatch those plugs need to be out so air can circulate. So I would make sure the plugs are out at least for hatch and go back to pulling them out and putting them in the brooder once they are active if that makes  you feel better. I'm just curious, what made you decide to leave them in this time if you normally took them out? (Not that there is anything wrong with that. I'm just curious.)

They hatched in the middle of the night and I had other chicks in the brooder that I needed to move to the outside coop. I looked at my watch and I didn't have the time so I figured I would handle it when I get back from work.

I had about 6 at the time hatched. I usually take out 4 at a time so they don't kick the other eggs around