Why do they keep dying?

[steffpeck]

I have been trying to hatch out some of my eggs. My rooster is a Black Copper Maran and the hens I have are golden comets and black orp/marans crosses. 2 of my Orp cross hens had 10 eggs under them that they were sharing. I had 5 little black chicks hatch (which I am assuming came from the black orp/maran momma's) and 5 eggs that had little yellow babies with black spots on them (I am assuming are the golden comet chicks). 4 of the yellow ones died before they hatched and 1 hatched and died a few hours later. I have another black orp/maran hen that has been sitting on eggs I ended up with only 2 of them under her, and one started to hatch this morning and died before it fully zipped and it was a darling fully formed little yellow chick again. She has one more egg under her that wasn't doing anything when I checked this morning so we will see what happens with that one, I am not sure what color it is going to be. Why are the yellow ones dying and only the black ones making it? It is so sad and frustrating!!!!

 

[MuranoFarms]

Genetics maybe? I have an olive egger EE that I know is being bred, but her eggs never make it. Under a broody, in the bator. Nothing. That's just a guess though.

Let me try to get the details right here: you're using broodys for all of these hatches? Or are some in an incubator? If it was an incubator, I would question how high the humidity is. If its a broody, that shouldn't be a problem unless their bedding/coop is particularly wet.

Are these first time mommas? Could she be squishing them? Or outright killing them? Did all the chicks under 1 hen die, or was it just the yellow ones of both hens? Trying to rule out momma being the culprit.

If you're not using an incubator, do you have one you could use? I have a broody silkie that can't hatch a thing, but I stick just hatched chicks under her and she's a great momma! If your momma hens aren't the problem maybe you could try that?

 

[steffpeck]

Yes, I am using broodies. I have used 3 different hens and have the same result with all 3 of them. I get fully formed chicks that start to pip & zip and then die before they are fully hatched, and it is only the yellow chicks. The black ones hatch out just fine. The one that started to hatch yesterday had zipped partially and then died. I opened the shell up and it was fully formed and had even absorbed the yolk. It is weird. I do wonder if there is a fatal gene in that mix of breeds? It's odd.

 

[AmiableHen]

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I read somewhere on BYC that some folks spray the eggs a bit the last few days when the hen goes to eat. Could someone add to that?

 

[steffpeck]

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I have not heard of this. Sorry I can't give you any info on it.

 

[Surehatch]

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I read somewhere on BYC that some folks spray the eggs a bit the last few days when the hen goes to eat. Could someone add to that?

Spraying in the the last couple of days is a good idea as it keeps up the humidity