Major hatching problems-- PLEASE HELP!-- *warning, dead chick pics*

[ChickenCharmer]

I'm having a staggered hatch, so about five eggs hatching every few days. My first couple hatches were problematic (Please see this, no one's answered yet: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=328056 ) but the last batch was really bad. I had four eggs in the last one, and they were alive in the egg for 25 days. Today I opened up the air cell, and two were dead, two alive. I then completely (and carefully-- of course) unwrapped the living two, and they died soon after this. I was thinking they'll die anyway stuck in the shell for so long. They had more or less absorbed the yolk sac, and they looked strange. The beaks looked short and the toes on one appeared to be in odd positions. I'm stumped about this, and there are chicks supposed to hatch today, and I'm worried about the same thing happening again. I'm pretty sure I'm doing everything I'm supposed to. The eggs were set about 5 days after being laid, and they were first stored round-end-up in room-temp. I'm keeping the temperature of the incubator more or less constantly 100 degrees, keeping the wells full of water, and turning the eggs three times a day. What's going on??? Here are some pics of the chicks after I took them out:

Please reply!

 

[GreenGoddess]

I am sorry to hear about your babies.. In the first pic, the feet do look a little short but it may just be the pic.. My biggest concern is that it looks *very* wet.. You say you are doing a staggered hatch.. Is it possible these chicks drowned?

Goddess

 

[ChickenCharmer]

Thanks... When I opened the first one (the one w/ the short beak) a lot of yellowish slimy liquid came out, which is definitely not normal. But how could it have drowned if it died after I opened it?

 

[kathyinmo]

Maybe this will help .... read these ...

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa204

http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/poultry_pipped.html

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/incubation.html

 

[4-H chicken mom]

What was your humidity reading? You say you were do a staggered hatching, did you have a separate bator and hatcher? If you did not, that could be why they are dying. Your humidity should be 50-55% and raised to 65% the last three days. Now if you are raising before the next ones are supposed to be raised, that could lead to problems. Since you didn't say what your humidity was, I am going to assume you didn't have a hygrometer in the bator. If you didn't, you need to get one. If you don't know what the humidity is, it could be too high or too low. Either way it's a problem. Also, did you turn the eggs while in storage? I hope the others hatch OK.

 

[heritagebirds]

I had ALOT of problems hatching with the instrucitons that came with my Hovabators... I live in a very humid area. I tried the dry incubation method in the learning section of BYC and had a GREAT HATCH two weeks ago. 76% for the whole bunch, 100% on just mine(others were shipped)

 

[greathorse]

I am going to say your temp was too low. I think I would check the thermometer, those chicks look underdeveloped to me.

 

[ChickenCharmer]

No, I don't have a hygrometer, I'm just making sure the wells are full, and the vents are open, plus when I open the bator to turn the eggs they get a rush of normal air. How would I regulate the humidity? And how can a hen regulate humidity, with a little more on the last few days?

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Read the links I posted for you, and you may find your answers!

 

[yotetrapper]

I have never got staggered hatches in one incubator to work. After many failures, I bought a second incubator and have had very little trouble since.

I dont know how hens do it, or if they do, or what, but I do know that if you run with all your water wells full your chicks will not hatch. The higher humidity prevents the air sac from increasing at the right speed. When a chick tries to pip into where the air sac SHOULD be, it's not there because it's not big enough and they hit embryonic fluid instead.

Now, the ones that died after you opened them that obviously wasnt the case, and I agree with the ones that said they were underdeveloped. I had a hatch that hatched just yesterday, that was due Tuesday morning. I also have had them up to 3 days late.

You can buy a cheapy thermometer/hygrometer at walmart for 8 bucks. But, if you really must do staggered hatches, I highly reccomend a second incubator to use as a hatcher.