Hatched 4 - 3 Dead in Incubator

[MomToChicksinCT]

We are soooooo bummed for a number of reasons. We have raised chicks a number of times for eggs and meat. We have incubated, hatched and brooded chicks with high success. Dealt with all kinds of chicken emergencies and have kept hens for 5 years.

We incubated these eggs for my daughters school. They hatched over the weekend, and now that I read more threads, the humidity must have been too high... 3 of the chicks were dead when I went back to set the brooder up the next morning.

I had set up the incubator over the weekend so the kids could watch them hatch this week. So bummed because they were viable and OK and I wanted them to dry off and fluff up. Because they weren't home I visited them a couple times and thought things were OK.

So I have a day old chick in the brooder and put one of my smallest 2 week old chicks with it for now and I had to head to work. Anyway, even after going thru this life cycle before, when you turn and care for the eggs and then this happens its still so sad. We love all our birds.

 

[sumi]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[MomToChicksinCT]

Thanks! So unfortunate! Our success in the past have a false sense of security.


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[warmheart]

I'm so sorry for your loss. It sounds as if you did the best that you could. Do you mean that the brooder needs a specific humidity after the babies are hatched? Or, that the incubator needs a specific humidity as the eggs incubate? Thank you for explaining, as I'm new and learning.

 

[brahmabreeder]

The incubator needs a specific humidity level. I keep mine between 40-55% for the first 18 days. The on day 18 and on I keep it at least at 55% and have 65% be the goal.

 

[MomToChicksinCT]

The humidity was too high after they hatched. They wouldn't dry and if they were home we would have put them I. The brooder to finish. They were at school so we couldn't closely monitor. When I came back the three had passed and only one left. With that said - the remaining chick is doing great! I put a 2 week old chick with it and she is very happy. Too bad about the others.


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