Losing chicks

[KristalS]

So I’m not exactly sure why they are doing this. The chicks start to develop and then just stop. I’ve been watching the temp and humidity on the incubator and after the first egg cracked (didn’t blow apart) i cleaned the incubator. But it’s just the chicks the duck eggs are doing fine. The rooster is new he’s a splash and looks like Ameraucana to me. I checked the coop twice a day and then stopped when I noticed that the chicks weren’t developing properly. I’ve been scouring the internet for ideas but I’m still wondering what’s going on. This would be my fourth hatch and I know the incubator works properly.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My first question must be, how do you know the temperature is accurate?
How old are the eggs?
Are they being turned regularly?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If be wondering if there's something up with that rooster. I had 2 quail males that never had any eggs they fertilize hatch.

 

[KristalS]

My first question must be, how do you know the temperature is accurate?
How old are the eggs?
Are they being turned regularly?

The incubator turns the eggs automatically every two hours. I also have the digital display showing temp and humidity as well as a hygrometer inside to verify it’s accurate. The chicken eggs aren’t that old and I’ve been making sure that they’re still warm when I grab them from the coop. I have one hen who sits on them but she tends leave them after a few days. It’s cold here in Central Oregon, somewhere between 0 to 30 outside which i why I collect the warm ones. I figured the cold would cause issues with development but I’ve never lost as many as I have this time around.

 

[KristalS]

If be wondering if there's something up with that rooster. I had 2 quail males that never had any eggs they fertilize hatch.

I was wondering that as well. Since the duck eggs are still developing.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The incubator turns the eggs automatically every two hours. I also have the digital display showing temp and humidity as well as a hygrometer inside to verify it’s accurate

A lot of incubators don't have super accurate thermometers

 

[gimmie birdies]

I am in N. central WA on the east side of the Cascades. I dry hatch in a foam incubator, until day 18 then lock down and fill the troughs. Without adding water the first 18 days, I still have humidity of about 50% then after lockdown my humidity goes up to about 60% My last 2 hatches were 7/7 and 11/11.

You didn't say what day your eggs were on, but they seem to have a lot of fluids.

I am glad I don't have an incubator that screams at me for not having enough fluids.

 

[NatJ]

A lot of incubators don't have super accurate thermometers

If the duck eggs are sharing the same incubator and developing properly, that shows the conditions are at least close to right. (Although different species might be more or less sensitive to some kinds of changes.)

 

[KristalS]

I am in N. central WA on the east side of the Cascades. I dry hatch in a foam incubator, until day 18 then lock down and fill the troughs. Without adding water the first 18 days, I still have humidity of about 50% then after lockdown my humidity goes up to about 60% My last 2 hatches were 7/7 and 11/11.

You didn't say what day your eggs were on, but they seem to have a lot of fluids.

I am glad I don't have an incubator that screams at me for not having enough fluids.

The chickens were supposed to hatch before Christmas. But didn’t three of the eggs were almost fully developed and the chicks just stopped moving. The others are starting to develop, you can see the veins and embryos but they quit developing. Haven’t been able to hatch a single chick this time around.

and yes the screaming incubator does get annoying. Lol