Third time (hopefully) is a charm???

[nicegirl40cheetos]

We moved to the country recently, and I have always loved animals. I have always wanted hens and so I went to the local extension office and borrowed one of their incubators. I was given about 20 eggs from a local friend. I started the first 10 and then a few days later the remaining eggs. (I had gotten them seperately about 5 days inbetween)...well, on June 8th, I had one of the 10 first ones hatch. That was all. I called a hatchery and they told me to wait a couple of days because they might be a late hatch. So, I waited almost 3 days, just to be sure. I called the hatchery again and they suggested I open the eggs to see what happened. In some, they were not fertile. In others there were chicks, almost developed, with feathers...the incubator I had borrowed, according to the hatchery (the temperature would fluctuate and leak water, hense low humidity and temperature fluctuating could be the issue). This saddened me. I thought it was something I did. I was adamant in making sure the temp was 100 degrees, that the reservoir was filled with water, that the eggs were turned 3-4 times daily (except for the last 3 days).
Still wondering what had happened since the ONE beautiful healthy chick came out and is doing very well, seems very strong and has a very funny personality.
So again I waited for the others to hatch on the 13th. None did this time either. I waited another two days afterwards and nothing. I opened them up again to see what happened. Some of them had overly enlarged eyes (scary looking) and what looked like their intestines, were sort of a sack bubble, it was yellow and dark and mushy and filled most of the egg even though the chicks were almost full grown in the egg...What the? I called the hatchery again and they said that it could have been that the eggs were not healthy, the parent chickens weren't healthy and maybe diseased? Could it be the incubator with the fluctuating temperature and the water issue, (the water not staying in the incubator, but leaked out?)...
SO, caring for my beautiful single chick, I asked around. I have gotten different answers. I stopped by the extension office again and told him what had happened. He said sounded like the parent(s) were sick? But I have one very healthy chick...I told him I would like to try again, so I traded incubators and received 12 more eggs yesterday from another friend who is very particular about her chickens, eggs and pens (very clean and they seem to be very healthy) she really takes care of them. SO, I began the incubating process with another incubator and new eggs late yesterday. This time, I am more than determined to make them work. I realize that not all eggs will hatch, but I sincerely hope that this time we will have more healthy chicks born. Wish me luck, please say a prayer that they come out OK. My little chick (probably a rooster) seems extremely lonely ;-) Thanks for listening...J

 

[cheraboo]

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

We're on day eight of our 2nd attempt. We had six eggs the first time around. There was a temp spike in the incubator and the would be chicks died

We opened the eggs to find 5 teeny chicks and yolk. It was so sad. The other egg was a dud. Keep us posted.

 

[HenMamma]

Good hatch

 

[nicegirl40cheetos]

It's good to know that my efforts are not in vain. Thanks everyone for sharing your hatching and not hatching stories. I am glad I am not alone. Good luck too!

 

[Marlinchaser]

Good luck