Advice please??? Extremely graphic dead embryo pics. :( Sorry, LONG

[luvmychicknkids]

Thanks guys.

I am to the point that I am terrified to candle.....but at the same time I don't want to leave a dead one to explode, either. I AM gonna try again though.

I just couldn't give up!!! Especially when my husband is practically crying because all his La Fleche died. Alright you guys...tell me how your babies are doing????? I have not (as seems common lately) been on a lot lately and seem a bit out of the loop.

 

[BirdBoy88]

Quote:

Thats right you must always try again

all my future babies are on there way right now in the mail..lol well at least half of them anyway i have more coming next week!

Let us no what you see when you candle your eggs

 

[Queen Scoot]

Quote:
so im assuming that if an egg explodes its oviously dead...so on the same foot if they dont explode then they are alive?

 

[Mrs MIA]

When you do start again, start fresh... sanitize everything to the point of obsession, and double check your thermometer/hygrometer. Then, if it was me (oh wait, this WAS me not too long ago!

) I'd find someone with the eggs you want that is closest to you so they don't spend too much time in the heat, preferably local. How hot is it where you live? Maybe it wouldn't hurt to wait until the heat lessens a bit...

I'm glad you're not giving up. I didn't have to worry about heat so much, but the extremely long trip has killed off all but the strongest chicks. The most I've ever gotten out of a hatch is two - usually 0-1. Mostly 0. And I've incubated a LOT of eggs, so I understand your frustration/hesitance.

 

[chickenlady]

I'm not so sure it is the heat as much as it is some kind of bacterial infection. I say this because a bacterial infection will usually affect the abdominal area. I would recommend totally disinfecting the incubators a couple times. Styrofoam is pourous and holds lots in. Also, make sure anyone turning or touching the eggs, have washed their hands with an antibacterial soap prior to doing so. If using a turner, carefully try to disinfect that as well.

You mentioned using the dry method, what is the humidity in the room that the bator is in? If it is not sufficient, you are dehydrating your chicks. I hope you can get this worked out prior to getting your next eggs. Keep us updated.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I've been wondering about the why, what, where of losing eggs/chicks along the way from day 1 to day 21. A couple of things that I'm going to change in my practices.

1. When the eggs arrive, I'm going to open the boxes and remove the wrapped eggs. Then I'm going to scrub my hands with disinfectant soap before touch the eggs themselves. I'm considering dipping the eggs in an appropriate disinfectant (they make something for this) before placing in my extremely disinfected bator.

2. I reuse my eggs cartons but I'm going to start putting them in the oven on 200 degrees for an hour or so in between uses to disinfect them. Then put them in sealed bags until ready for use.

3. Once I set the eggs in the cartons and placed them in the bator, I will NOT touch the eggs with my fingers at all. See the new thread by Miss Prissy on how she candles. I tried it last night and it works perfectly. No picking up of the eggs to candle. That will keep the bacteria off of the eggs and prevent the eggs from being swished around unnecessarily.

I have some eggs on the way, so I'm going to try this with them and see if my rate of getting eggs from day 1 to day 18 goes up. Hatching isn't a problem...my rates of hatching from the ones I set on day 18 is about 97%. It's that day 1 - 18 that I would like to see improve.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I wondered about the bacterial thing, too. I clean well after each hatch and also leave it out in the sun. However, one bator (the one with the little Turken) was brand new and this was the first hatch in it.

The humidity in my bedroom (where the bators live) is 46% right now. I know a lot of people wait to add water until day 18 which is how I have been doing all my hatches and it has worked out great until now.

It is hot here, but not 100. Unfortunately, I haven't found anyone close to me with what I want (need?) so I have to have them shipped quite a way. Thankfully we are supposed to have some cooler days now and I will be getting my other eggs shipped soon.

I know you are ready to get those new babies started Mark!!!!! I should be getting mine very soon, too.

We are addicts. *sigh* LOL

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Quote:
You have mentioned several things here that I have stressed over. One of the big ones is my egg cartons. How do I know what is lurking on them. Putting them in the oven is a good idea. And the "did I wash good enough before taking the eggs out of the shipping box", etc. I wasn't aware you COULD disinfect eggs prior to hatching? I thought it would kill them? So yeah, I am going to try to do things a little different this time. I want some new babies.

 

[wegotchickens]

Good info here!
I thought I wasn't hatching any more this year but then a friend of DH's wanted me to hatch some for her

Will try the 'hands-off' method since I've had low hatch rates on shipped eggs and see if that helps. I do wash my hands with antibacterial soap, but noticed my hatch rates went up when I candled much less. And I did re-use egg cartons when my eggs were resting. Big 'hmmmmm' going on with me right now

Off topic but your PM box is full:
oldtimegator, who wrote the quote in your signature line?

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Quote:
so im assuming that if an egg explodes its oviously dead...so on the same foot if they dont explode then they are alive?

Ummmmm....no, just because it is an intact egg does not mean it is a healthy, living embryo. That is why I candle frequently....to make sure all of the dead ones get removed. Never had an exploding egg yet and don't want to.
If I see one not moving I put it back, finish candling then try again. If it is still not moving I mark it so I know which one it is. I check the next night and if it is still not moving, it gets removed.