Help! Trying to Figure Out What Happened

KoFamilyFarm

In the Brooder
8 Years
Jun 22, 2011
20
0
22
Oregon
We just got a new incubator (Brinsea mini) and are in the process of our first hatch. It's day 22 and so far, only one chick has hatched. But, we've kept the bator in the kitchen, and I think the temperature was just too variable for really good results.

Anyway, I'm posting because the one chick that hatched seemed fine. We let it dry out in the incubator and moved it to a box with a heat lamp hung over it. The chick was going sort of nuts at first, and running everywhere (very loud, seemed very healthy). It was also very energetic in the incubator and kept moving the other eggs. Then, it suddenly got listless and a strange sort of "clicking" noise started coming from its body, and it sort of laid down with its beak open. Then, it started spitting up some kind of clear mucus. The next thing I know, the chick died.

It was absolutely heartbreaking, and my family and I are trying to figure out what happened so we can prevent it from happening again, if possible. Any ideas?
 
Sorry to hear about your little chick! I don't really have any idea what would have caused it to die that way, sounds like maybe it aspirated on mucus or something along those lines, at least that's what the clicking sounds you mentioned reminded me of. I plugged in a space heater in the room where I keep my incubator because the temp. in the room was too low at night. Once I kept the room temp. stable the incubator worked like a dream (I have a Brinsea 20) I hope you have better luck with your next hatch!

edited for typo
 
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We just got a new incubator (Brinsea mini) and are in the process of our first hatch. It's day 22 and so far, only one chick has hatched. But, we've kept the bator in the kitchen, and I think the temperature was just too variable for really good results.

Anyway, I'm posting because the one chick that hatched seemed fine. We let it dry out in the incubator and moved it to a box with a heat lamp hung over it. The chick was going sort of nuts at first, and running everywhere (very loud, seemed very healthy). It was also very energetic in the incubator and kept moving the other eggs. Then, it suddenly got listless and a strange sort of "clicking" noise started coming from its body, and it sort of laid down with its beak open. Then, it started spitting up some kind of clear mucus. The next thing I know, the chick died.

It was absolutely heartbreaking, and my family and I are trying to figure out what happened so we can prevent it from happening again, if possible. Any ideas?

Could the chic in box been too hot..1 chic/1box/1heat lamp sounds like a lot of HEAT.esp if it was a 250watt bulb..Did you check temp in box where chic was at ???Just trying to generate some ideas on what happened....cva34

Most chic cry for only a few reasons Too cold ,Too hot ,Hungry, Thirsty,Scared,Hurt ...probaably a few more .Add to if I forgot something
 

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