I'm just sick! I never want to incubate again!

[lovemychix]

I'm so sad.

I got some great eggs and got an incubator and gave it a try. It's day 23 and one finally made it out. It's crippled. I researched and it's from slow hatching. wry neck or something like that. I have 2 more in the bator and they are peeping but can't seem to hatch. My temps were perfect the whole time and I turned them 3 times a day. My humidity was 30%- 45% the whole time and about 55% the last 3 days on lockdown. That is as high as it would go. I had a humidifier in the room and everything. I can't believe after all that stress and I have nothing but one deformed chick that I will probably have to cull. One of the others died right after it hatched and it had a big tumor looking thing on it's head and it's back end looked like it was hanging out.
I must have the worse luck of anyone! I'm just beside myself with grief.

 

[journey11]

Oh how sad. I am sorry for your disappointment. I haven't tried hatching, but I'm sure there are many here who can give you good advice.

 

[speckledhen]

Sounds like your hygrometer or thermometer was off. How were you measuring humidity? (If you used the AcuRite with the probe, like many do, the probe only reads temp, not humidity. The unit reads humidity, so the whole thing has to go in the bator)

 

[lovemychix]

It was one that someone on BYC recommended. It was in the bator with the eggs and I also had a regular thermometer in there too.
I don't know what to do about the one chirping in the shell in the bator. It's probably going to be deformed too since it can't get out.

 

[MandyH]

Sounds like your thermometer and hygrometer where off. I use 3 different thermometers in every one of my incubators, never trust just one. The very first time I incubated it was less than great but thats how you learn, from your mistakes. I now have 4 Sportsman incubators and it's nothing for me to hatch 500-800 chicks at a time. Keep trying and you will get it right eventually. Also, if your chicks are hatching 2 days late, you need to bump your temp up by a degree.

 

[ChooksChick]

I'd like to point out that consistency varies as you use a digital thermometer/hygrometer, as well. My AccuRite was very close when I first got it- I put the whole thing in and the temp was only different by .2 in what the probe read versus the main unit. Now it's off by 13 degrees...and I'm aware of it so I use a different, analog thermometer. I have several of the cheap white thermo/hygro units, too- and they have all changed over time. This is something I now consider an ongoing expense, since it seems if I keep running the incubators constantly, I will continuously be passing the point at which these units are reliable.

 

[speckledhen]

I agree that accuracy changes, especially if the unit gets condensation inside of it from bator use. And remember, these are only household thermometers, no accuracy rating listed, though I think most general thermometers have a +/- 2 degrees rating, not tight enough for incubation. That is why I finally bought an actual incubator thermometer with an accuracy rating of +/- 1/10 degree. If you rarely incubate, that may not be worth doing, but I will incubate several batches a year so got tired of guessing and re-calibrating, etc.

 

[19Dawn76]

 

[speckledhen]

Hate to see you give up, though! I know it can be heartwrenching sometimes, but the good hatches will erase the bad ones, if you keep working on it.

 

[1stepcloser]

That is horrible. i am so sorry.