Humidity for hatching silkies and hook worm problems

[kbryant]

I am a newby and am not having much success with my incubator. I am unsure of what to keep the humidity level at for silkie chicks. I have a hova-bator 2326 with turner and have been keeping the temp between 99-100 and the humidity 50-70. My shells are also EXTREMELY hard and am feeding 1-3 ratio scratch being the 1 and layer the 3. We are on sugar sand here and have no grass.

I also had a very rare situation the past 10 days as I had one of my original silkies 17 months old egg bound and after trying everything I was told I was still unable to release the eggs. By the 8th day I felt up to 3-4 eggs but nothing and she was still eating and drinking and acting fine so I took her to the vets and they opened her up and she had 5 eggs but instead of being in her canal they had formed in her abdomen. The eggs were at all different stages and she even gave me them to bring home to show my husband.They had no explanation for it as there were NO HOLES in her tube. They said they had NEVER in all their years of practice seen anything like this. They said she was full of infection but she made it through surgery and was eating and drinking when I bought her home later that day. I gave her the antibiotic at 9:30pm checked on her at 10pm before going to bed and she was still eating and drinking but when I got up at 6 am she had passed away. I know I did all I could for her and so did the vet I will miss her terribly.

The vet also said she had hook worms, could anyone help me with this. I give panicure(safe-guard) by putting a pea size on my finger and then putting it on their tongues. Does anyone know if one does is enough or do I have to give it for a few days straight and then every 4-6 months. I believe the babies can get it after they are 3 months old. Also, how do I treat the ground or is treating them enough. I know I have to burn the shavings.

ANY answers would be greatly appreciated.

 

[acid_chipmunk]

Are you keeping your humidity that high the whole time? If so, that is probably your problem. Try keeping it at 35-40% the first 18 days and 65-75% days 19-21. You may be drowning them in their shell with humidity that high from day one.


Sorry I can't help with your other question though.

 

[kbryant]

Thanks, It's at 68 now so will take out some water. I was told 50-60 for silkies so I guess that was wrong

 

[kbryant]

I took all the water out and just put a wet sponge in there and it is still between 60-70 . I live in Florida so don't know if that has anything to do with it. How much water am I meant to use I have NO IDEA what else to do. The red plugs are in the top when should they come out. I thought only the last three days

 

[The Lisser]

I have used 55-60% for the first 18 days for silkies and had pretty good hatches (from shipped eggs). I use 65-70% the last 3 days. Of course I've only done 3 hatches, but I think good results, so I don't think the humidity is your problem (I could be wrong).

The shell thickness could have something to do with it. Are the babies fully formed but die in the shell? Has their yolk been absorbed? Are your breeding birds under a year old? I've heard that pullet shells are thicker. I have helped babies out of shells if they have pipped but can't seem to get out (I wait 18-24 hours after the pip). One time it was a case of the baby pipped the wrong place (didn't get turned around correctly) and other time the baby's umbilical cord had gotten wrapped around its shoulder AND it's feet and it couldn't turn to zip. Both are doing great now.

I think there is something about genetics that means a certain number will develop but never hatch. It's not always something you do. Have you tried hatching someone else's eggs under the same conditions?

So sorry to hear about your egg-bound hen.

And I have never encountered hookworm with chickens (only with cats/dogs), so I can't help you with that. You might want to post that question in the Emergencies and Illness section.

Good luck!

 

[kbryant]

I am putting the amount of water that the incubator booklet tells me to. Filling the inside two channels then all channels the last three days. The babies are nearly all full developed and the only one that survived this time also had its cord wrapped around it's leg. It was the only one to hatch but I helped. One got it's beak stuck when it first peeped and the others were fully developed but died in the shell. 1 or of 5 eggs but I have had worse 1 out of 10.
How do you lower the humidity? Less or More water?
Thank you sooooo much for all your help I appreciate all the help I can get!!!!!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I hatch Silkies, Sizzles and Frizzles right along with all my large fowl Marans and other breeds. The bantam breeds poop out first usually and I have found that they are fine with a humidity of 30-40% for the first 18 days and 60-70% the last few days, if they don;t hatch first in the turner! Sometimes they hatch on day 18 before I get them moved to the hatcher but often they will wait. I have turned my Sportsman down a bit to help out.
Also the humidity in my house is usually about 65%.

 

[kbryant]

I have no idea what the humidity is inside my house as I have never checked but the temp is between 70 -76. Does it really depend on my house humidity too as I don't have a humidistat on my A/C. This is soooo complicated but I just want to succeed. I seem to be getting all roosters, guess cause they are the strongest and all my pullets are dying before hatch.
Also, The eggs are from my oldest hens that are 17 months old. I only have 2 from their babies and I haven't put them in the incubator yet.

 

[acid_chipmunk]

Yes the humidity in your house will affect the humidity in your incubator. Check the humidity in your house and adjust according for your bator. I hatch all of my eggs, silkies, polish, BLRW, and MFD the way I posted above and don't have any problems with the silkies hatching. My MFD's always hatch day 19-20, and the rest start after that.

Also, keep in mind, the book that came with your incubator is the recommended way of doing it by the company, but you will have to adjust for where you live and where you keep it while incubating. It takes some playing around to get it just right.

 

[Brody's Broodello]

The hard shell is most likely from the Layer pellets you feed. Had this probelm when I first started. The Layer pellets have higher Calcium so that the eggs don't not break when the hen lays them on a harder surface. The eggs you want are not for eating, so harder shells will not benefit someone wanting to get something out of the eggs. Once I changed to a different feed for the show/breeding birds the chicks hatched out nicely. Most people forget that what you put into the birds affect them just as much as the incubating process. Good luck!