Broken and leaking eggs made my incubator smell awful!

[nadane75]

I have eggs in my incubator. On day 11 my daughter knocked the incubator off the table and a lot of them cracked. I fixed the ones I could with candle wax but a couple of them leaked into the bottom of the incubator. I'm now on day 19 and it smells so awful in there! Should I take the eggs out and clean out the incubator or leave them alone? The eggs that leaked weren't rotten to begin with, but should I be concerned with bacteria now?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

I'm afraid I would be concerned with bacteria yes. The egg contents that leaked into the bottom will have "gone off" and that's the smell you have now. I would clean it out ASAP and check the eggs that you still have in there. Some of those eggs could have quit and they could be smelling too. Give each one a sniff and check for life. Incubators are a breeding ground for bacteria due to them being warm and humid so it could have affected your remaining eggs.

Good luck

 

[nadane75]

I was so afraid of disturbing the eggs by taking them all out to clean but I guess I'll do it now. I candle them the night before last and they were all alive and doing well so I'm hoping things stay that way!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I personally would take them out and clean. When chicks hatch they are susceptible to mushy chick disease. This is where they get infection/bacteria in their umbilical area. With bacteria in the incubator and the bad smell they could easily be prone to this. I'm afraid mushy chick often has a bad outcome and they don't survive.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I'd definitely take them out and clean. If the chicks haven't externally pipped, they wont be affected much (and if it makes you feel better, my hens have gotten up for a break when their eggs have been pipped, they hatched fine). You might mark which side was up so they don't get turned around too much. Or candle to check for internal pips and put the pip side up when you return them to the 'bator. Good luck!