Bacterial Contamination of my Fertile Eggs

[terrisebring]

Please HELP!
Does anyone know what this is and how to rid my eggs from it? How does it happen and what is causing it?

 

[gumpsgirl]

Please give more detail so we can better help you. Why are you thinking this is a bacterial contamination? What do the eggs look like?

BTW, welcome!

 

[silkiechicken]

I think we need more context to this question...

1. How do you know they have a bacterial contamination?
2. How long have they been in the bator?
3. Do they smell?

If you know some how

1. Did you wash the eggs? This removes the bloom and can allow things though the shell.
2. Are there any cracks in the egg? This also lets things in the egg.

 

[terrisebring]

Yes, thanks.
I am trying to hatch a few eggs out for the first time ever and when I candled my eggs, they had speckled shells. I read in one of your artcles that this is caused from bacterial contamination.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm new to hatching too, but what I *think* you are seeing is a porous egg. Not ideal for hatching, but from what I understand, they can still hatch.

 

[terrisebring]

1. How do you know they have a bacterial contamination?
I saw a picture of it from one of your pages https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-candling.html

2. How long have they been in the bator?
Since 2:00p.m. today 11/01/2009

3. Do they smell?
No, there is no odor to them.

1. Did you wash the eggs? This removes the bloom and can allow things though the shell.
No, I know not to wash the eggs pryor to incubating them.

2. Are there any cracks in the egg? This also lets things in the egg.
There are no cracks or peck marcks on them.

Thanks, Terri

 

[silkiechicken]

A speckled shell before incubation is a porous shell. Not to worry. A bacterial contamination after incubation is often due to bacteria getting in though the shell, more likely in a porous shell, small cracks, and eggs which are washed.

Trust me, if you have bacteria growing in an egg, you will SMELL it, LONG before you can candle it and see speckles.

Check out my recent thread on egg candling pics. I have one in there of a porous egg. Note I am using a high output light, so you might be be able to see as much detail.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261876


Edit to add:

Just clicked on the link. Funny that I've been around so long and never saw that page. LOL I'll bring it up in staff.

That pic that suggests a bacterial infection isn't what I'd agree with. Looks like a semi porus egg to me, but of course, you do lose lots of detail when taking pics in the dark. I also don't agree with the "bacteria ring" in the pic right under the porous egg, as I would say that is just a sign of a quitter where the blood pools after the embryo dies. Bacteria inside an egg that does not have a cracked shell is VERY uncommon. Cases where people get salmonella from eating eggs is often due to contamination on the outside of the shell that gets into the food, not contamination inside the egg.

 

[terrisebring]

new2chooks,
what do you mean by porous?

 

[silkiechicken]

Porous egg shells is where the egg shell is thinner in spots thus more "porous" to things like air, oxygen, water and so on.

Since you are new to the world of hatching, let them incubate for a week before you candle. You should be able to see things much more clear by then.

 

[terrisebring]

silkiechicken,

I went to your thread on egg candling and no, non of my eggs really looked like your pictures. Thanks anyways, I am going to try to hatch these out but I will keep a very close eye on them each day.

Thanks again, Terri:/