Diary of My "Doomed From the Start" Incubation"

So, I really want bantam silkies and there were no local hatching eggs available. I bought some eggs on eBay and here is what I got....



Of the 10 eggs:
1 was broken (contents leaking- not repairable)
6 had ruptured air cells (lots of tiny bubbles when I candled immediately upon receiving the eggs in the mail)
1 is cracked (no ruptured air cell)
2 are fine

I let the eggs rest pointy end down for 36 hours before I started incubation.

The eggs with multiple bubbles all morphed into one rolling air cell after 36 hours. Here is a pic of what the ruptured air cell eggs look like



I am incubating the eggs in a Dasp mini digital incubator (that I bought off of eBay) that advertises no turning. This may work, because it incubates the eggs pointy end down and I need that for the small chance that my ruptured/rolling air cell eggs will reattach.

Here is a picture of the Dasp mini with the eggs inside of it. I have a thermometer/hygrometer that I placed inside of the unit.




I used 3 calibrated therometer/hygrometers inside of the unit to test the temp and humidity before I set the eggs inside. They all noted a temp of 88 degrees when I set the digital temp to 37.5 C on the incubator. I am trusting the 3 calibrated thermometers/hygrometer readings and assume that the one in the unit is bad. To compensate for the lower temp situation, I have set the digital therometer on the incubator to 47 C and all three if my therometer/hygrometers were marking 99-100 F.

Since the incubator only holds 6 eggs, the eggs that I chose to go into the incubator are:

2 that are fine
1 cracked one (repaired with wax)
3 of the best rolling air cells (only one bubble)

I egg-topsied the other 3 eggs that were not going into my incubator see if there was damage to to yolk and to see if they were fertile. All 3 where fertilized, 2 yolks were in tact... The other one was intact, but had a large white cloud in the yolk (away from the blasto-derm) not sure what that means? I don't think it was a developing embryo?

I am following the post by allsummedup because he is currently testing the Dasp mini incubator as well. Their tips have been helpful. Here is their post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/774021/dasp-mini-digital-incubator-trial-and-review

I am deviating from their wash cloth humidity keeper, as I am following the dry incubation approach. Without any water in the incubator, it is showing 45%. However, I will boost up the humidity for lockdown.

Follow this thread for my updates

I like the little incubator!!! Now, change that title, and give those eggs a chance ... There are a lot of folks with silkie eggs for sale on BYC, you can do a search under the BST and see several if these babies don't hatch, but I'm hoping they do.... Shipping can be tough on eggs. How were these packaged???

The eggs were packed in a box that was layered with packing peanuts on the bottom, each each wrapped in bubbled wrap, with packing peanuts on top. I totally blame USPS, not the eBay seller.

(Repeated post was deleted)

Yay someone else is doing a review I started a trend!

So I am now on Day 2 of incubation. This incubator is a bit fussy. You have to keep a close eye on the temp and humidity because it fluctuates, requiring me to "tweak" things (add water or turn up the temp because its dropped too low.) I have resorted to aiming one of my nanny cams (that I use to monitor my dogs while I am at work) at the incubator to see the temp/humidity reading. My poor mother-in-law is now becoming an expert in how to "tweak" the incubator because I called her twice to come over and fix the temp and humidity.

Here is a screen shot of my nanny cam. Normally, it's aimed at my dog who's nickname is "Bear" (hence the name)



I also have the RCom mini running in the shot that is on Day 11 with Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks in it (I'm hatching them for my mom.) Even though it only holds three eggs; that incubator is very reliable. Every fertile egg I have put in it has hatched!

LOL I have an RCom mini running as well!

Well, I have some BAD news. It's day 5 and I candled... There was no veining in any egg. I cracked them open to look inside and they were all completely scrambled! (Remember, these eggs all had ruptured air cells) so, they really were "doomed from the start"

The GREAT news is that the eBayer that I bought my eggs through is sending me replacement eggs for FREE. To me, this is unheard of, because eBay vendors have all over their postings disclaimers of "no refunds or replacement eggs" because they can't trust USPS to be gentle with the packages (which I agree with.)

I am eagerly waiting my new eggs. They should be here in a week or so... I will put an update up when I start the new incubation cycle with these eggs

One of my eggs was scrambled too don't feel to bad.

thomp119 said:

Well, I have some BAD news. It's day 5 and I candled... There was no veining in any egg.

I cracked them open to look inside and they were all completely scrambled! (Remember, these eggs all had ruptured air cells) so, they really were "doomed from the start"

The GREAT news is that the eBayer that I bought my eggs through is sending me replacement eggs for FREE. To me, this is unheard of, because eBay vendors have all over their postings disclaimers of "no refunds or replacement eggs" because they can't trust USPS to be gentle with the packages (which I agree with.)

I am eagerly waiting my new eggs. They should be here in a week or so... I will put an update up when I start the new incubation cycle with these eggs

Click to expand...

I am more than Happy to send more eggs, I have been there in the past and it sooooo upsetting to purchase eggs only to have them already ruined before you can even start. I had a person tell me once "well I guess that's the price you pay for shipped eggs". I was like REALLY. So when I started selling eggs, I made a pack with myself, I would NEVER treat anyone like this. Shipping eggs isn't a profit, it should be an enjoyment, waiting to here someone ELSE hatching out MY babies. OMG, what a thrill to me...

Seeing how my girls a laying SOOO WELL right now, HA HA HA it's an easier Fixer upper,,,

I love the little incubator...