Nobody told me...

[WriterRiderChick]

...when I decided to incubate eggs for the first time how responsible I would feel when one or more of them died. This experience has been a great melting pot of every emotion imaginable, and now that I have lost one chick to weakness and another in the shell, I've had to accept that this endeavor calls for much letting go. My hopes were so high when I put those eggs in the 'bator nearly four weeks ago, and they were so dashed when we buried two chicks this morning. However, I have two precious little Silkie survivors in the brooder as I type, and for those I am grateful.

Not for the faint of heart, this incubatin', and I think I'll wait for one of my hens to go broody next time.

 

[ChickNLittle]

My condolences. I know how you feel. On my last hatch I was hatching a dozen silkies and only seven made it. One chid in the shell and one died a few minutes after it got out. I have a very sensitive emotional system, so it gets tough. But I still want to have my babies.

So I have about 7 leghorn eggs that were "supposed to hatch" yesterday. I still have no pips but I'm waiting. For some reason when I use the LG incubator my eggs are always late on hatching, I don't know why. And I've lost a lot more with the LG than I have with the hovabator. Go figure!

 

[Grillmaster33]

I truly understand. I am on Day 20 and this is my first time ever incubating. Not only that, but I am doing so from my classroom. I am in the inner-city so my students, most of them, haven't seen a live baby chick.

One of my little guys turned the eggs, saw the temp drop, and turned the thermostat up. It reached 107 for a few hours. We noticed a huge drop in developing embryos (NOt to mention quite a few that never developed).
Well, that poor guy was down in the dumps for days. He feels responsible for the deaths of little babies that we had already grown oh so fond of....

However, with only ONE original egg, still kickin, we couldn't be more excited.

Many, many teachable moments here.

 

[WriterRiderChick]

ChicknLittle, Good LUCK with your leghorn hatch, and thanks for the support. I was using an LG for this batch as well. Since it's my first time, I have nothing to compare it to, but I have found that the temp. has stayed very consistent throughout the weeks.

Grillmaster, I was actually thinking today after the chicks died how HARD it must be for teachers incubating in the classroom when something like this happens. Your poor student was doing what he thought was right, and it was such an honest mistake. Poor little guy. I'm sure you've probably told him these things happen, and it's hard, but we mustn't let that stop us from continuing to do our best. While trying to free range my birds last year, I lost some to predators (all in one night), so I know that terrible feeling of responsibility when an honest mistake ends in disaster.

Hugs to you and your class. I hope that one chick hatches out just fine.

 

[Grillmaster33]

Thanks. And middle school-aged children do not know how to be empathetic to someone who makes such a mistake.

Again, many lessons to be learned.
Thanks again...I am about to make a late-night run to the school...JUST in case.

 

[WriterRiderChick]

Yes, I was thinking that the other kids must be making it pretty hard for him when I thought they you were talking about elementary school. But middle school? Now I really feel sorry for that poor student.

 

[Grillmaster33]

He's PIPPEd!!!!

 

[Ron]

The kid or the egg??????

 

[Guitartists]

Lets hope the chick