I don't know what I did wrong...Chick died before hatching

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
Still air is different than a forced air bator. I keep my Dickey's and GQF sportsman bators full now through end of summer at 99.5 and hatch in a GQF hatcher at 70% and 98.5. I hatch almost everything that goes in the hatcher. I almost hatch exclusively my own eggs so I get about babies from about 98% of my eggs.

I have a fan kit in my LG Incubator, and the OP never expressed what type of incubator she was using, but I thought maybe she might be using a LG so I offered my 2 cents

I am hatching my own eggs also.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
Still air is different than a forced air bator. I keep my Dickey's and GQF sportsman bators full now through end of summer at 99.5 and hatch in a GQF hatcher at 70% and 98.5. I hatch almost everything that goes in the hatcher. I almost hatch exclusively my own eggs so I get about babies from about 98% of my eggs.

I have a fan kit in my LG Incubator, and the OP never expressed what type of incubator she was using, but I thought maybe she might be using a LG so I offered my 2 cents

I am hatching my own eggs also.

I really hate shipped eggs sometimes! They can make you feel like you are a worthless hatcher! If I get 50% on shipped turkey eggs, I feel good. I do have a forced air LG with a turner that I keep around if I want to hatch quail. I have too many chicken, turkey and guinea eggs to waste the space for the little A&M quail.

 

[StormyMoon]

Quote:
I have a fan kit in my LG Incubator, and the OP never expressed what type of incubator she was using, but I thought maybe she might be using a LG so I offered my 2 cents

I am hatching my own eggs also.

I really hate shipped eggs sometimes! They can make you feel like you are a worthless hatcher! If I get 50% on shipped turkey eggs, I feel good. I do have a forced air LG with a turner that I keep around if I want to hatch quail. I have too many chicken, turkey and guinea eggs to waste the space for the little A&M quail.

I haven't ever tried shipped eggs yet maybe one day I will

 

[mkeawsh]

My eggs started hatching tonight with 3 out and 6 pipping and many more cheeping. My temp is 100 at 72% humidity and this seems to be perfect for mine. I have a still-air LG.
Yep, I hate shipped eggs also, but until I get the breeds I want, this is the only way I can get them. DickeyBubs, Tractor Supply and Orscheln's just don't have the elite breeds and the online hatcheries, I have read too much about people getting chicks that they don't have a clue what they are. I don't trust a good quality of the breed and pure bred would be sent to me.
Hopefully, this will be last year I have to get shipped eggs.

You are right. I have felt like a worthless hatcher for the past five years with the 50% hatch rate and I usually decide to just give up until the next Spring, when I try it again. This hatch seems to be the best that I have ever had.

 

[sheila3935]

Dont beat yourself up sometimes it just happens. This last hatch my DH I think drowned one of ours. I was out of town and he had the humidity way too high.It pipped and started to zip and died. I also had one that didnt pip its head was under the wing. So see it happens. By the way I didnt tell DH what I think happened to the one that pipped. He did good though 5 of seven chicks hatched and and all four duck eggs hatched. And this was his first time actually doing the hatch.

 

[Lroach711]

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I had read that was the temp to do for a still air incubator?? Is this wrong? That would explain it.

 

[Lroach711]

They are shipped eggs, too. So I guess I shouldn't have beat myself up so much. I just cried and cried. The little baby that died was SO cute

Luckily I found a breeder right where I live for B/B/S Orps (which is what that one was) So If I'm brave enough to try again after this first attempt..I wont have to use shipped eggs. I feel so bad for the one lone little baby. I grabbed her outta the bator last night when I realized the one that was pipped had died. She's in the brooder now..I think she's lonely..but there's still chirping coming from the remaining eggs in the incubator so hopefully she/he will have a friend soon.

I'm going to try to find a little stuffed animal to put in there with her. On another note, how long after hatching will they start eating/drinking well? She seems to just sleep a lot.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Now my two just died. This is the second time has happened to me? WHAT am I doing wrong?

Day 22, one, the yolk sac didn't absorb fully, the second looks like it died just a day or two ago although it was alive when I candled them before lockdown.

AM I just meant to not hatch eggs?

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
I might go 100 for a still air but not 101. What if you gauge is off a deg or two? Now you are 99(good) or 103(bad)! The problem with shipped eggs is that the shipping can be rough on them. Also the way they are packed, how the USPS handels them and how the shipper cares for the eggs when they are collected and for how long they hold them before shipping. The problem isn't with the hatch, it is if they even develope. Not to say it is bad to get shipped eggs because we all do it but it is just a gamble. I would drop the temp to the 99-100 range the next time and see what happens. Remember, DO NOT OPEN the top until they all hatch!!!!!! That kills more chicks in the shell than anything! They will be just fine for 2-3 days in the bator after hatch. That is why they ship chicks right after they hatch because they live off the yolk for 3 days.

 

[Lroach711]

Thanks to everyone who responded. It's nice to have this forum for encouragement and advice. I still only have the 1 chick. There are still 5 eggs in the incubator, though. I'm not getting my hopes up...Guess I'll be going to the feed store and get a couple babies to keep mine company! I called and they have some Black Australorps that are only a day older than mine. I can't have my little one getting lonely!