Should I help them????

[Cornychick]

This is day 24 of my hatch and out of 28 live embryos (candled day 18) only 9 have hatched out. The last one was last night and I have only one pipped. I have struggled with humidity and can only keep it at about 60-65. All the chicks that did hatch, once they started zipping, were quick to hatch within 10 minutes or so. I know all these chicks were alive and moving going into lockdown. I have stayed out of the way up till this point, but if I need to intervene to get double the chicks delivered, I will. Help!!!

 

[Cornychick]

Nevermind. Obviously, the time to step in would have been yesterday. I opened every egg and found fully formed dead shrinkwrapped babies. I feel like a failure. I am thankful that the 9 hatched one in process. But I consider this a tragic failure.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

That is NOT a failure! It could have been that the temp just shot up or it could have been genetic defect or any number of things! You did great getting as many as you did! Congrats on the chicks you managed to hatch and hugs to you. Losses are hard sometimes!

 

[ISSOLA]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I am no expert at incubating. Perhaps you can let the others know what you did throughout the incubation period, so that a "post-mortem" can be done, and mistakes (if any) do not recur.

Good luck with next hatch. Congrats on your live 9!

 

[chellebyerly]

Dont feel bad, I just had a hatch where I got 16 (maybe- one is still iffy) out of 42 to hatch. they were shrinkwrapped, and all that. I had to help each one out! to the point of actualy hatching them myself. and my humidity and temp were right on the button and steady the whole time.

I actually had a few chirpin and peckin yesterday- but waited too late to help them and there was only one left today. (the one thats iffy) So you didnt fail. Sometimes it just happens that way.

 

[technodoll]

I'm so sorry for your loss...

Please take consolation in the 9 beautiful babies you have now, hug them dearly!

I would have been happy with ONE chick but all four died in their shells, too, a couple days before hatching...

(( hugs ))

 

[Cornychick]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. It's good to know I'm not the only one that had trouble.

 

[SummerwindNC]

I know it's hard not to feel bad. Hatching can be such a learning experience, many of us go thru it!! My first 2 hatches were horrible to say the very least!! Drowned chicks, bad legs & cross beak happened because my gauge was terrible off!! I must have been running that bator at 100% humdity the entire time! I thought it was just me even though I was soooo diligent to a point! Uggh! My 3rd hatch, new gauge, dry hatch in cartons went 100% They popped out like popcorn! On a lighter note my handicapped chicks are a year old now & doing just fine!

Don't give up!
Kind regards;
KAT