Day 2 Incubation - Completely Rotten Seeping Smelly Egg

[Hens_And_Chicks]

I bought eggs - they were shipped on Monday, received on Tuesday and placed in the incubator on Wednesday.

Tonight I opened the incubator to add water and noticed an egg with dried seepage - I tried to remove it but it would not budge. I was afraid it was going to break inside the bator. The shell finally pulled apart from the inner membrane and

boy did it ever reek.

I flung it outside and then cleaned the holder cup it had been in - my question is - how old can an egg be before it goes rank? I would think if it was collected on Monday, five days isn't enough to have it be rotten, is it? I carefully checked all the eggs when they arrived and did not notice any of them to be damaged.

Can this possibly affect my hatch?

I'm glad I found it when I did - the eggs surrounding it smelled bad - I'm assuming from the one that was leeching.

This makes me sick - I have a lot of money wrapped up in this group of eggs (for me)

 

[livin-green]

Could it have gotten contaminated somehow? I'm new to incubating, too, so I don't know how long it takes for bacteria to set in good. Sounds like a nasty mess!!

Don't forget to wash your hand thoroughly before handling the eggs. Maybe someone more experienced can tell you how likely it is to have spread to any other eggs. I hope that's not the case.

Hope the rest of your hatch goes well!

 

[gabrielle1976]

Ug I am sorry.
I dont know enough really to comment but I am shure someone else will. I hope the surrounding eggs just smell a little becuase of the other egg, I think bactiria causes that sort of thing.
GOOd luck and I hope they arnt all bad

 

[Hens_And_Chicks]

Quote:
I suppose chicken poop is contamination - several of the eggs were pasted with poop which I tried to sand off - I didn't want to wash them - so yes, I guess they were.

I just don't know - since I bought the egg turner, I'm not opening the lid frequently to turn eggs anymore so instead of handling them 2x per day, I'm trying to be a good chickie mom and only add water when the humidity drops.

 

[gabrielle1976]

I read somewhere that by trying to clean up eggs you can force bactiria into them

I honestly dont know , but someone will i am shure.

 

[Hens_And_Chicks]

Personally - I cannot disagree. I would not ship dirty eggs that someone paid for. I got what I got - I can only hope they do well. I lightly sanded the poop off because that's what it seems like is an accepted cleaning method for eating eggs.

Which is worse? Paying for dirty eggs and trying to salvage them or not set them at all?

 

[gabrielle1976]

I always give it a go , nothing to lose evrything to gain.

 

[ranchhand]

Just guessing, but one of sellers hens may have hidden an egg, then rolled it out after a while. Mine do that occasionally. That's why I always break them in a separate bowl before cooking! That's a guess based upon the fact that you inspected them first.

It may take a few days to clear the stink. Since It's only Day 2, I would gently remove the eggs and the turner, do a quick non-toxic clean and reset the eggs. But quickly, like the hen got up to eat, and with just clean water. The other eggs may well have absorbed the smell, but probably not the bacteria, since it didn't explode.

A little poo is OK- don't set eggs that are filthy.

BTW, for easier humidity control? Run a length of airline (fish tank) tubing throught the area for the turner cord, into the water resevoir. Then you can use a needleless syringe to add water, don't even have to open the "bator. I learned that here on BYC!

Good luck!

 

[livin-green]

Geeze, that stinks! (no pun intended). Have you considered talking the the seller?

I think sanding sounds like a good option, but then I'm not all that experienced either. Sending good hatching vibes your way!!

 

[MoodyChicken]

Quote:
I just set some dirty eggs today. I gave them a good scrubbing, but do you think they'll be ok? I don't want to ruin my hatch!