poison ivy and speckled hen

[hsm5grls]

First of all thank you both. I had the one baby doing o.k. last night when I went to bed. He was moving but very little and this morning he was gone. I tried everything to help him but at that stage there is little you can do. Now I am thinking back over the last week to try and think of anything that could of caused a total lose of healthy active chicks. When I candled at around day 16 they were all fine so all I can think of is the leak in the water dish at around day 18 or19. I'm not sure if the bottom of the eggs getting wet would cause that but I am sure it wasn't good. We are all pretty sad about it but we haven't given up. DH says we are buying a "real" incubator and trying again for more Zaxby babies. It will probably be in the spring when it is easier to regulate temps. in the house. I am still analyzing everything to see what else could have gone wrong.
Thank you both for your help
Tracy

 

[Poison Ivy]

Oh I'm so sorry that you lost your whole batch.

Let me know when you get your new incubator and I'll send you replacements.

 

[hsm5grls]

I am so sad. I feel like a chick killer. I know it was something I did or didn't do that caused them all to die. I should have checked the bator on day 19 but I just put the sponge in on day 18 and left it alone. I should have opened it again just to check.

That last babie the one that lived for awhile was so cutr. DH was so ecxited for him. We just lnew he had to be a roo.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I hope I can add some input here but your not a chick killer. Things like this happen. Its just the way things go. I hope your next batch goes well and have some beutiful healthy babies.

 

[hsm5grls]

Thank you inuashalover. By the way my oldest girls like your name. They love those animee cartoons.


I haven't given up it is just so sad. I will take a break get a new bator and give it another go.
Poison ivy take good care of Zaxby, I really want his babies.

 

[speckledhen]

You are very welcome. You did just fine, so don't blame yourself. Wish I could have helped you more than I was able to do online, though. We all have our ups and downs in hatching and unforseen things happen even to us veteran hatchers. Next time will be much better, I'm sure!

 

[jkcove08]

You are not the only one having a bad time. I hatched 12 from Dipsey and then had 2 bad hatches. THe first was my own eggs!!! I live in Iowa and for some reason was having a rotten time keeping the temp regulated. I have a LG still air bator and cant figure out what type of thermostate it had. It is not a waffer one. I also could not get the humidity up. I hatched 5 out of 24 eggs. Then I had silkie eggs from Rob and from a member on the other board and was only able to hatch 3 from Rob and none of the eggs from the other member hatched. I am going to wait until spring. I have enough silkies that I think I can hatch with broodies this year. I have about 5 hens that were broody last year. I guess I will have to make them real nice broody pens and just go that route. Good luck with your next try. I totally understand how frustrating it can be. Jenn

 

[hsm5grls]

I think the last one was just too weak. I opened the rest of the shell right now just to see and he never absorbed his yoke. He never made a sound and hardly ever moved. I think what ever killed the rest of them had done a number on him to and there was nothing that could have benn done. He was just too weak and sick. I wish I could know for sure what happened but I learned some things and will try again.

 

[seminolewind]

On my 4th hatch, I got perfectly stable temps by throwing bubble wrap over the top of the bator. Seems alot of heat is lost from the windows.

 

[tazcat70]

I am so sorry to hear about your babies.

Tonya