The 8th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!!!!

[Cynthia12]

Hello All!!! I need some advice.

I am finishing up a hatch so I can get the incubator ready for the HAL. The chicks have been hatching out over the last couple days but they aren't doing too good. Most are fine and happily running about the brooder, but I have lost a couple. They won't eat or drink, just sleep until they die. I have tried showing them the water and food, yes there are electrolites in the water. I tried feeding some scrambled eggs. I am tempted to try a couple drops of sugar water in their beaks to perk them up.
The LF chicks are all good. It is the bantam chicks that are dropping. I have lost three cochin bantams. There is a fourth cochin bantam and a serama chick that just hatched yesterday, doing this sluggishness.

Please help!

Are they hatching on their own, or did you assist? If assisted, yes, they will need very tiny drops of electrolytes a few times a day. Just a tiny bit. Too much doesn't do them good when they are still sleepy/sluggish..something I've found out the hard way.

 

[BantyChooks]

I'm in

Welcome!! Whatcha settin'?

 

[I Love Layers]

3/4 of the cochins should be laying by March 25! Can't wait to set eggs

 

[Happy Chooks]

Hello All!!! I need some advice.

I am finishing up a hatch so I can get the incubator ready for the HAL. The chicks have been hatching out over the last couple days but they aren't doing too good. Most are fine and happily running about the brooder, but I have lost a couple. They won't eat or drink, just sleep until they die. I have tried showing them the water and food, yes there are electrolites in the water. I tried feeding some scrambled eggs. I am tempted to try a couple drops of sugar water in their beaks to perk them up.
The LF chicks are all good. It is the bantam chicks that are dropping. I have lost three cochin bantams. There is a fourth cochin bantam and a serama chick that just hatched yesterday, doing this sluggishness.

Please help!

Strange, if they are brooded together, they should be learning from the others. I have had failure to thrive (even with broodies), it happens here and there. Have they hatched on their own?

 

[wornoutmomto3]

 Are they hatching on their own, or did you assist?   If assisted, yes, they will need very tiny drops of electrolytes  a few times a day.   Just a tiny bit.  Too much doesn't do them good when they are still sleepy/sluggish..something I've found out the hard way. 

Strange, if they are brooded together, they should be learning from the others.  I have had failure to thrive (even with broodies), it happens here and there.  Have they hatched on their own?

They are brooded together and yes they hatched on their own. I don't assist unless absolutely unavoidable. There is only one chick I assisted with on this hatch and it is running around the brooder like it owns the place.

 

[Marliss51]

I think I would like to participate. I have a Little Giant Automatic egg turner that fits the Little Giant incubator I borrowed from a friend. I thought it dried out too quickly. Anyone have any ideas on an incubator I could buy the this egg turner can be used in?

 

[katsdar]

They are brooded together and yes they hatched on their own. I don't assist unless absolutely unavoidable. There is only one chick I assisted with on this hatch and it is running around the brooder like it owns the place.

I had to keep showing one of my chicks what to do before it finally got it, I'd keep them separate so you can keep an eye on them and give them some sugar water . You do give both plain water and the fixed water, maybe they just don't like the taste. Get their beaks wet then stick them in the food and maybe that will help them, put some food on the bottom of the brooder. Good luck and keep us updated

 

[katsdar]

I think I would like to participate. I have a Little Giant Automatic egg turner that fits the Little Giant incubator I borrowed from a friend. I thought it dried out too quickly. Anyone have any ideas on an incubator I could buy the this egg turner can be used in?

I put cellulois sponges and a wash cloth in the bottom of my incubator to help with the humidity and still check it every 3 days

 

[Cynthia12]

I think I would like to participate. I have a Little Giant Automatic egg turner that fits the Little Giant incubator I borrowed from a friend. I thought it dried out too quickly. Anyone have any ideas on an incubator I could buy the this egg turner can be used in?

 

[Marliss51]

I put sponges in the bottom of mine and little dishes of water under the screen as well. Humidity was still a challenge. Or maybe my hydrometer was off?