My brand new babies . . . so sad

[brendapa]

I am so sorry you lost your chicks.

It does sound as if they were too hot. The 90-99 degree is a guide and I don't think it's a good one.
I put my chicks ino the brooder right from he incubator, it was 95 degrees and they had plenty of room to move away from the heat. Within 5 minutes they were peeping in distress and trying to escape from the heat, in the wrong direction. Piling up on top of each other, under the lamp. Dummies!
I immediately moved the lamp up and pulled them from under it. Gave them all a drink and changed the temp to 90 but only in 1 corner. The corner they liked was 85. This was perfect but I was right there. I could have lost them too, if i had walked away.
Brenda

 

[chicmom]

Wow, that is SAD. I am guessing they were overheated too.....I know you trust your thermometer, but they can wear out just like anything else.

Another thing that I always do with my chicks is, when they go into the brooder, I always provide food and water immediately.

Did they have plenty of space to move away from the heat lamp if they were too hot? I just wonder sometimes, if a chick that is newly hatched would just sit there and cook itself, rather than move away......You just never know.

Well, I am so sorry you lost your chicks. I lost one (my incy only hatched out a batch of six), and that made me feel really bad. Chin up! Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start again!

Sharon

 

[chicmom]

Quote:
Brenda, you must have read my mind...I had the exact same experience when my last batch of chicks went into the brooder, and they didn't have the smarts to get away from the heat! I was lucky enough to be nearby, watching like a hawk, but I agree that 99 and even 90 is just too hot! 85 is a real good temp.

Sharon

 

[emjay]

sorry for your loss, that would be heartbreaking.
I just had my second batch hatch, but, under a mama, which is great, as she keeps things perfect. no worries for me there in regards to right temp, food and water.

I did figure out a good trick though to get babies to the food dish and to the water, chickens are drawn to light, I used a flashlight and they followed its beam to food and water, works very well, did for me anyways. kind of cute to watch that too.

I hope you have a successful next time.

 

[lizzy06019]

Quote:

I can't even imagine how devastating this was for you! My heart breaks for you and your chicks

 

[QuinnP]

gargaantuan sasquatch huggles

(I'm not a sasquatch, just a biiiiig hugger.)

 

[claud]

I'm tending to agree with everyone on the heat issue. I think 98 degrees is fine wet and right out of the egg but seems way too warm for them when they are fluffy and dry.
Do make sure they have room to get away from the heat lamp.
I put a lamp over one side of my brooder(rectangle shaped) and food and water on the other side. Right when I get them out of the incubator I dip their beaks in the water and I have mash spread all over the floor of the brooder(I use newspaper with paper towels on top). They almost always get a drink and start eating right away(and then sleep a whole lot).
I also put shiny marbles in the waterer and food dish.

Hope your next batch goes better.