hatching babies die

[bunnibird55]

Help! I have posted on the Incubating and hatching eggs thread but I really want some help fast. I have shipped turkey eggs. They have been holding good temps in the forced air bator. The humidity has stayed at 40% during incubation and after lockdown I increased it to 70%. The temperature is holding at 99.7. Yesterday was day 27 and I was so excited that there were three eggs pipping. They get through the membrane and shell and seem to lack vigor and never fully get out of the shell. They have their heads out and they open their eyes and look up at me and after several hours, they die. What am I doing wrong??? There is one now that has its head out and just doesn't seem energetic enough to try to get out of the shell. What should I do? Are they all doomed? I have 7 more eggs that have not pipped yet. What should I do????????

 

[Lagerdogger]

I am not a hatching expert by any means, but I did hatch 7 of 8 turkey eggs this spring. What you did sounds great for chickens, but maybe not so great for turkeys. Your humidity may have been a little low (Porter recommends 80% or more for turkeys. I couldn't believe it should be that high, but I went ahead and kept my lockdown humidity as close to 80% as I could get). More importantly, though, it is recommended that you reduce your temperature when you raise your humidity. Some sites suggest reducing to between 90 and 95 degrees. Others suggest just a degree or two. I dropped mine from 100 to about 97. Apparently high humidity and high temps at the same time are big trouble. Others will surely chime in that know more than I do about incubating turkeys.

Sorry for your troubles. I know how distressed I was during the last couple of days when I thought things were not working out.

 

[Wayne&Kim1963]

If I have weak babies I give them electrolytes with warm water and add some sugar to it. That gives them strength. I have found weak baby turkeys get hypoglycemic. As soon as you give them drink of sugar water they perk up.

 

[bunnibird55]

I upped the humidity and lowered the temp - now have one pipping all around and chirping - this might be the answer - THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

 

[bunnibird55]

The one that was pipping is now hatched and seems very vigorous. I am keeping the humidity at 80% and the temp at 98. Could this be the answer?????????? I hope so - this is the first one that has actually made it out of the shell and is alive and moving well!!!!