chick hatching issues

[Guest]

I am having some incubation/ hatching issues, and wondered if anyone has some advice.

I hatched out my first 2 sets of eggs last Thanksgiving, the second set being srom blue bantams.  I got 6 live ones out of a dozen or so eggs, and lost the first one due to drowning but the rest are thriving and out with the big chickens.

however, I\'ve had three \'due dates\' on clutches of about a dozen or so each, and I got 1 live one from the 1st batch, 4 from the second, and 2 from the 3rd.  3 of the last 4 chicks that have hatched have died- one (ameraucana) shortly after breaking out, and 2 could never learn to eat and died.  the one remaining seems to be going the same way- not eating- and I don\'t think it\'ll make it either.  these are mostly OEGB, from different pairs, and when candled, the eggs show babies being fully developed, and then dying without pipping.  my incubator temp is steady, but of those that do hatch, they are all having troubles with getting stuck partway out.  

any ideas?  I\'m very frustrated, and not a one of my hens is acting broody yet!

[grisaboy]

Hello Alouez,

This sounds like it might be a nutrition issue.
The chicks don\'t have enough energy left after hatching to eat or thrive.  Try adding a supplement to the diet that you are feeding your hens.  Something like Red Cell or Immunoboost or there are many others.  Or it may be as simple as adding some vegetables to their diet.  Chop up some lettuce, apples, carrots, etc.  
During the summer your hens can pick up some grass, bugs etc.  Right now your hens are only getting what you feed them.
I had a similar problem last year and the chicks started hatching and thriving once the hens could get out on the grass.  I switched to a different feed this year, and have had no problems hatching.

Curtis

[Guest]

I\'m by no means an expert, but this sounds alot like a problem with humidity.  I ran into something very much like this last year with peafowl.  Eggs didn\'t hatch, but when cracked open 3 days after they were due I found full term, developed peachicks.  Out of my settings, 1 to 3 would hatch.

Could be one of two different scenarios...the humidity is too high and the chicks are \"drowning\" in the shell or the humidity is too low and they are drying out and sticking inside.

My best advice is to go to the store and buy a digital thermometer/hygrometer.  These little gadgets show you both the temp and the humidity.  I bought a cheap one at Wal-Mart for around $12.  There are more expensive ones on the internet that measure in tenths of a percent or degree, but the local store bought one seems to be working fine for me.  The one I got has a margin of error of +/- 2 degrees/percent.

Here is a good article from Mississippi State University on hatching:

http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/hatch.htm

[Guest]

thanks for your thoughts.

I had a suspicion humidity might be an issue (too little) because they were so stuck in the shells.  and the air cells have been huge.  but I did also add more greens to the hens diet.  we\'ll see.  I put in a big batch of eggs a couple days ago, so hopefully many will hatch!  I feel bad when only one chick is surviving and has to live all alone for weeks at a time!

my little solo guys like to sit next to this thermometer.  I think their instinct draws them to the faces on it!  better than being alone I guess