Winnie123
Chirping
- Apr 25, 2020
- 36
- 36
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I wanted to breed some “Showgirl Silkies” so last year in July I ordered some female Turkens and some white male Silkies from Cackle Hatchery. They are about 8 months old now and the hens have been laying for about 3 or 4 months. I put 9 eggs in my incubator. It is a little giant incubator with a fan and an egg turner. I had the humidity at around 40-45% for the first 18 days, then I took them out of the egg turner and put them into lockdown at around 55-65%. Only one chick hatched. I opened up one of the eggs to see what was going on and found a fully grown chick with a deformed beak and what looks like it’s brains on the outside of its scull... I’m very sad and confused. What would cause that??? I don’t even want to open the other eggs because when I candle them they look super liquidy inside and I don’t want to see (or smell) what might be in there.
*Did I do something wrong during incubation? (I have 3 different hygrometers and thermometers in there to be sure everything is right)
*Is there something genetically wrong with my parent birds?
*Could it possibly be that my parent birds are just too young for breeding?
The one chick that did hatch is healthy and happily sitting under one of my Silkie hens that went broody while I was incubating these eggs. It doesn’t appear to have anything wrong with it.
Thanks for anyone that took the time to read and I really appreciate any advice/tips that anyone has for me!
*Did I do something wrong during incubation? (I have 3 different hygrometers and thermometers in there to be sure everything is right)
*Is there something genetically wrong with my parent birds?
*Could it possibly be that my parent birds are just too young for breeding?
The one chick that did hatch is healthy and happily sitting under one of my Silkie hens that went broody while I was incubating these eggs. It doesn’t appear to have anything wrong with it.
Thanks for anyone that took the time to read and I really appreciate any advice/tips that anyone has for me!