Hi Eloisa, I apologize for the delay in responding to your question! Your starter is certainly not dead, but it sounds like it may have hit a lull in rising, which is fairly common around day 4, and can go on for several days. This behavior is particularly likely if you saw an early burst of activity, which is actually due to a type of bacteria that gives off carbon dioxide. Sometimes the thinning out that you described is a precursor to the wild yeast kicking in, so hopefully your starter has taken off rising by now. If this isn't the case then you might want to try an alternative feeding routine recommended to us by microbiologist and sourdough baker, Debra Wink. This method lowers the pH of the starter environment, which seems to help pave the way for the wild yeast to enter the party. Here's the plan:

1. Feed once a day.

2. Feed with whole wheat or whole rye flour, if available.

3. Feed with a ratio of 2 parts starter : 1 part water : 1 part wholegrain flour (by weight). For example, you could save 1/2 cup (4 ounces, 113g) starter and feed with 1/4 cup (2 ounces, 57g) water + 1/2 cup (2 ounces, 57g) wholegrain flour. 

Once your starter begins to rise predictably (twice), it's important to return to feeding twice daily, which will further promote yeast development. You may also want to gradually transition to feeding with AP flour, and increase the percentage of water and flour to line up with the 1:1:1 ratio of ingredients.  

Your starter may hesitate each time you change its feeding routine, as the organisms need time to adjust, but once your starter is again rising predictably, then you should be good to go! I hope this helps. Let us know how it goes. 

Barb

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