question about chicks not making it?

[msmith6440]

this is the 1st time trying to hatch eggs. Friday was the 21st day, had 13 hatch, and 9 on Saturday. between Saturday and Sunday night 10 died! couple you could tell were not going to
make it. the other 10 are doing good. is this normal for them to die like this??

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Are you saying that your chicks died? No, that is not at all normal. Did any of them have unabsorbed yolk hanging from their navels? Did you take them out of the incubator and put them in a warm brooder with a light? Did you give them water and feed within the first 24 - 28 hours?

I just can't imagine. Perhaps someone has a better idea than I do. I've never had one die after it successfully hatched and dried off.

 

[arlee453]

Something was seriously wrong with this batch of chicks. That mortality rate is usually high with day olds shipped to you, much less hatching your own.

How long did you leave them in the bator?

What is your brooder setup? What temp, what feed, what bedding?

Were there any problems with the chicks at hatch/drying out time? Unhealed navals, yolk sacks protruding, etc?

What kind of chicks? (ie I'm assuming chickens, but...)

Hmmm.. I'm sure we can help you figure this out with some more info, and help correct any issues that may have contributed to the problems, if possible!

Edited to add - my favorite link for 'what went wrong with hatch' troubleshooting:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AA204

 

[msmith6440]

I left them in the bator for 24hrs or so. there yolk sacks had no problem it dried up and fell off before we took them out of the bator. after being in the brooder they fluffed up and were looking great! we used a big box with paper towel on the bottom for the brooder and a heat lamp . were also useing chick starter for food. we noticed some of them had 1 eye swelled up shut. looking on the net. last night. its some kind of infection i guess. any one heard of this?we mixed teramison with there wated its a antibiotic. in i don't know if its from the water in the bator being nasty from them hatching. after the 1st batch hatched we changed the water in the bottom. we fell bad there dieing we dont know what is going on!!!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

The ONLY thing I can think of is that they got too hot in the brooder. It should be between 95 and 100 degrees...not any hotter. I put a thermometer in mine. You'd be surprised how hot it can get and if they can't get away from the heat source, they can die.

 

[msmith6440]

that would cause the eyes to swell up? the temp was no hotter than that.

 

[MissPrissy]

How old is the incubator? How many hatches have you done in it? Where did the eggs come from? Notice any smell?

 

[msmith6440]

tHE BATOR IS BRAND NEW. THIS IS THE 1ST TIME WE TRIED TO HATCH OUR OWN. THE EGGS CAME FROM OUR CHICKENS.

 

[MissPrissy]

What kind of chickens do you have? Mixed breeds? Notice any kinds of problems at all over the last 6 month with your egg layers? Where the eggs clean when you set them?

Honestly, it sounds like to me there is something that has caused an infection. It also seems like the infection didn't start in the brooder but it was something with the eggs at hatch.

It also can be an anomoly with your rooster and hen combo - which is rare but does happen.

I am betting on an infection more than anything else since you noticed swollen eyes.

 

[ginasmarans]

Did you notice any other symptoms with the chicks? I had some dying suddenly with very little notice and few symptoms and finally decided it was either infectious bronchitis or infectious Coryza. Symptoms(if you caught them before they died)were gasping for breath and a small amount of fluid coming from their nostrils. This is highly contagious and chicks will die alarmingly fast.I have no idea how or why they got this condition,but sometimes drastic changes in temps can contribute to it(kind of like shipping disease). Antibiotics is the only thing I found that would prevent more chicks from dying. There's not much you can do once symptoms start in. Now I add antibiotics when chicks hatch from the bater. Doesn't seem to affect a hen with chicks. I guess that's because she sits tight on the chicks and doesn't lift the cover to peek at them every 10 minutes as I like to do.