What am I doing wrong???

[Penturner]

Sorry they are having such a rough time. I would be thinking egg quality rather than anything that is incubator related. Plain old weak chicks. This is the second hatch I have read about in the last 4 days just like this. Your post showed up just as the last one I was reading was wrapping up. I stand humbly corrected about your experience and since that something was wrong. In fact it seems to me you have a very acute and tuned since when it comes to hatching eggs. You where alerted to something long before I would even have been concerned. I am still convinced these chicks have had about as good a care as they could get. Sometimes nature is just not going to play fair. All the experience in the world is not going to change the fact that some chicks just do not get what they need to survive. whether it is adequate nutrition, a good set of genes, or even a shell that is just to thick. it is natures way of keeping things working. I hope to be setting some fairly expensive eggs ($50 a dozen) in the future, and to be honest I would be a lot more comfortable with someone like you looking over my shoulder.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Quote:
Yes. I was able to do it successfully last time the broody and I hatched together so I anticipate it will go well again!!

I'll do it this afternoon and get some pics for you.

 

[brendapa]

otg,

So sorry your hatch did not go well.

The Brinsea's seem to be rock solid.
The only plausible answer would be the quality of the eggs (not meant to offend the egg donor).
Hopefully your hen will accept the 2nd chick. Pictures of the little family, please.

brenda

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

So the adoption went well!!

I thought the hen was trying to peck the chick, but was just trying to make it get underneath her! What a good mama!! The only pic I got of them was with mama sitting on them. I thought it was a pic, but it was a video. Here is the link...don't mind the hen singing the egg song in the background!!

Here is the baby on it's way to mama in the car.

I may have another live chick...not sure yet but will post as soon as it hatches...or not

 

[thespinningcottage]

Great little video! So happy it worked out. Good luck on your other chick,

that it goes well. Will be looking for the updates!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

The final count is 2 live chicks. One hatched yesterday and the other on Friday.

I want to thank everyone who commiserated along with me. Hatching is just such a joy...and a sorrow....isn't it?

I put more shipped eggs into the incubator this morning so I can start this process again.

I love that you can take the Brinsea incubator apart and put most of it in the dishwasher to clean and disinfect it. BTW...when I was taking it apart, I noticed that in the lid of the water tank there was some mold forming. Not sure if this had anything to do with anything, but I'll watch for that this time.

I'm collecting my own now so I can put a bunch of those in next week (a different incubator

....I wouldn't stagger a hatch...that's just asking for more trouble!

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

Quote:
Nicely said.

 

[Penturner]

Quote:
Ugh, How can you all do this back to back like that. I would need a vacation. Actually i know you get used to it, I used to have to deal with 2 to 3 litters of Bunnies a day. Now that was a hard one to get settle into cause when you first start doing it you are way beyond a nervous wreak and it never ever lets up.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Penturner...I appreciate your last comments. I've been dealing with some personal stuff as well as this miserable hatch and haven't had the time until now to sit down and really write a decent post...just updates.

You know, I think I do better when I hatch more. You just become accustomed to a certain amount of loss...probably not unlike raising rabbits. I haven't hatched for many months until this hatch and just forgot that #%&! like this happens. I need to get back up on the horse!!

After being on BYC for a couple of years now, I've learned for myself that it's so easy to simplify others problems and to give sometimes critical advice or comments. I have done it myself. I do appreciate all input, even when I don't agree.

I'm learning to be gentler and kinder myself!

Best to all....

 

[thespinningcottage]

I have enjoyed your updates. Next time we pass through Gainesville on our way north from Arcadia to see grandkids, I'll salute you!
(P.S. - the school hatch is going great guns -- we have 9 out of 14 with every other egg pipped it looks like. It was SO hard to teach reading and math today, so we did chicken science all day!

They weren't due until tomorrow!! The Octagon ran at 100.1 the whole time, maybe that cooked'em a little faster.... thanks again for your advice about early lockdown. What would I do without BYC?)