I have not had a good weekend. :(

Harley's girl · Apr 28, 2008

Well, to start with I ordered 12 eggs off of e-bay. None of those hatched. I contacted the seller and she sent me more. I finally had one hatch but it had saddle legs. It was a Appenzellar Spitzenhauben. I had a Brabanter start to hatch but then died. I had 2 brabanters left. I started with 8 each (Spitz and brabanters). So I get up this morning and the 2 brabanters that I had left both died in the shell, the 1 that did hatch died, and something outside killed my only 2 golden laced wyandottes. AND one of my Spitz that I got from rural king. un I am thankful that it didn't get my jumbo pekin baby Pattington. I am just at a loss for words. I am about to give up. I don't know what went wrong with the hatching. 100 degrees, 70% humidity, turning them 3 times a day. I just don't know what I did wrong. I think for now I will leave the incubating up to my broodies.

speckledhen · Apr 28, 2008

I'm sorry it's been so frustrating for you. Did you have 70% humidity throughout the entire incubation? If so, that is your problem-it should be less than 50% the first 18 days then raised to 65-70 only the last three. Don't give up. This hatching thing really has a learning curve!
I'm also sorry about the loss of your chicks.

mmajw · Apr 28, 2008

Sorry to hear of the eggs not hatching.

love-my-wolves · Apr 28, 2008

Awe, I'm so sorry you're having such a bad time. But please don't give up on hatching. You know the old saying "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again". Please, you will know it's all worth it when you get those babies running around your brooder happy and healthy, and know that you did it yourself. Please be patient, and try again. Steph
Just my 2 cents.

Poison Ivy · Apr 28, 2008

Sorry to hear about your eggs. I went through 4 batches of silkie eggs from different people and spent a ton of money to get 1 baby. Then the one lady who is a well know breeder out of Ny send me replacements after 4 months. Well I candled them last week and not one was growing! I had them in my hova 1588 the first time and some in my r-com 20. This last batch went in my sportsman so I know it's not me that did anything wrong. So I give up on shipped silkie eggs. I will hatch out my own eggs now that I bought adult birds.

ebonykawai · Apr 28, 2008

I'm so sorry. Take a break for a little while, then come back to it. When I was incubating, I really needed a break, too. It's very emotional.

Harley's girl · Apr 28, 2008

My humidity was under 70% until day 18. I have been hatching for a year. But this year has been so frustrating! I think I will not buy anymore eggs unless I can pick them up. I am so worried now, I have peafowl eggs coming to me. Oh they just have to hatch. I will just cry my eyes out if they don't hatch. The good news is 2 of my hens went broody. I set eggs under the one but the other I am keeping for the peafowl. It just has to work. I had 31 of my 56 hatch out last week, of those 1 died and 1 has saddle legs. I just don't get how I can have such a great success one time and a failure the next!!! It's not like I am doing anything different. un I have 12 BO eggs in 1 incubator 37 pheasant eggs in with them and 66 pheasant eggs in another bator. I still have 1 more bator empty. I thought I might need it for the peafowl. But thank the Lord I have a broody!!! She will do a way better job than me. Wish me luck. Pray for me if you think of it. Thanks.

Frizzledhen · Apr 28, 2008

That's a lot of eggs hatching! Sending great hatching vibes your way.

speckledhen · Apr 28, 2008

Then you know what you're doing, if you've been hatching for that long. Didn't mean to imply you didn't. I know how it is. You do everything the same, but things dont work out. Sometimes the health of the breeder flock has a bearing on the hatchability of chicks, and when we order them through the mail from people we are not familiar with, we can't know how the breeders are fed, etc. So, don't beat yourself up-it may have nothing to do with anything you did!

Harley's girl · Apr 28, 2008

Thanks Speckled Hen. I am trying not to (beat myself up) but...... I just don't get how perfectly formed chicks that look healthy to me won't hatch. I just need to take a break, like ebonykawai said. After these pheasants hatch I am taking a mini - vacay! Even if I don't leave home. LOL I need to spend time with my new hatchlings anyways! I will post pics of the pheasants when they arrive. I just finished putting up a predator proof wall around my remaining chickies. I set my box trap and now will wait for it to appear. I have a feeling that if I see it tonight it may be with the Lord by morning I will let you guys know how everything turns out!

edited to fix a typo!