My first hatch didn't go so well...

[Buster]

Out of 12 eggs that went in the incubator on day 18, only 3 pipped. One hatched by itself and the other two I helped out on day 23, two full days after they pipped. All three were sticky, and the two I helped out would never have made it out on their own. Their heads were stuck to their bodies. I washed them and put them back in the bator. One of them wasn't doing good at all, has curled up feet and even when we made boots for him out of tape, he still falls on his face. He has pasty butt and looks like he has some other things wrong with him. I will probably put him down in the morning. The first chick that hatched has a foot problem too but it corrected itself. The last chick only had one curled up foot and we put a boot on it, but it fell in the waterer and drowned.

So can someone give me suggestions on how to avoid sticky chicks and curled feet?

 

[BirdBoy88]

Sry most of your babies didn't make it

the samething happen to my first hatch i had 4 eggs they all pip but 2 chicks pip then died and i don't no why... no one really knows why they do that it's a sad thing though

again sry

 

[Dawn419]

Buster,

I wish I could help you out on your shipped eggs dilema. As it is, I'm just about giving up on shipped eggs, myself. I've had better hatches with my own eggs but I want fresh/new bloodlines integrated and just not having any, if much luck.

I did stop and think that I may be doing something wrong but I've had temps and humidity "spot on" and am at the point that I'll take what I can "get" and be happy with it. I just hatched 2 out of 12 SSH eggs. The 2 that hatched are totally healthy and I'm seeing it as the 2 are totally healthy and that I'd rather have 2 healthy chicks as opposed to 12 who are questionable.

,

Dawn

 

[Buster]

The trouble is that these were eggs out of my own birds! Eggs that I have shipped all over the country in the same time frame have done much better. I need to figure it out soon because I have a lot of eggs coming tomorrow and I would like to figure out if I need to do anything different before their hatch day comes too.

 

[Buster]

I checked on the chick with two bad feet and I am going to have to put it down this morning. It's not going to recover.

 

[Chickaree]

Sorry about your chicks buster.

 

[Vamp-A-Billy Princess]

Are you sure your temp/humidity reader is working correctly? I am so sorry!!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Sorry, Buster.

Here is some info that you might find helpful:

Problem #7: Sticky chicks - chicks smeared with egg contents.

Causes:
Low average temperature
Average humidity too high.
Inadequate ventilation.
Correction:
Use proper operating temperature.
Maintain proper humidity levels throughout incubation cycle.
Provide adequate ventilation of the incubator room and proper openings of the incubator ventilators.

Problem #8: Dry sticks - shell sticking to chicks.

Causes:
Eggs dried down too much.
Low humidity at hatching time.
Improper egg turning.
Correction:
Maintain proper humidity levels during egg-holding period and throughout incubation cycle. Do not over-ventilate.
Proper humidity levels throughout incubation cycle.
Turn eggs hourly or at least at regular intervals eight times daily.

I don't know if this is correct but hope it helps....

 

[Buster]

thanks for that info. i will look into those things. the biggest problem was that they were dried out, so i probably have a humidity problem.

 

[Buster]

I just broke the remaining eggs. All were dead. All were perfectly developed but never pipped. The sad thing is that eggs I have shipped from the same birds hatched far better than mine here at home.