The good news: They waited for me to get home before hatching!!! So happy to know they listen. Ha. I had 4 come on day #19 and one Tues, day #20. One more came this morning, day #21. Thinking I'll toss the rest of the eggs out this afternoon. Did water test on all but 1 that's cracked a teeny bit. They floated low-ish enough, but who knows? Here's the trouble: one of the healthy-looking ones died last night. Another good one died this morning, and the day#20 one has splayed legs & won't open its eyes. What's with that? We have 2 strong ones running around under the brooder and one wet one in the incubator still. Ugh. Is this just the way it goes?
I hope someone can give you a better answer than this, but I just wanted to let you know you're not alone. This has been my experience, too, when I purchased day-olds a few years ago. I learned, just thru experience, that chicks can be very fragile little things. Sometimes all the numbers and temps are in order, but they just don't make it. I'm pretty sure the veterinary term is "failure to thrive." I'm not sure if they do better if/when they're raised with a broody or not, but it must be difficult for little chicks to not have anyone to "show them the ropes," so to speak. Good luck with the others ... I hope someone can give you some advice, too. I'll be following this one for sure. I've got two drying in the incubator right now who weren't supposed to hatch until Thursday. My final egg is showing no signs of anything yet. Now I'm wondering, too, if the tiny tiny variations in age might not be a problem? Ugh ... just when you think you're out of the woods. Take care!
