Deaths early in development- what did I do wrong?

cluckcluck42

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Okay I have to change my thread because I recandled today and I was convinced a lot were early quitters so we opened them and almost a dozen died early. Most died very early, as in they barely developed at all (just a little formation and the rest yolk). One was about the size of a tooney and you could make out the eyes, that sucked. Another two were probably dead around Day 4 or so. I candled the other day and there were veins and such, do they kind of go to mush after theyve been dead awhile cuz I did not see any veins when we cracked them open.

What could have caused this? I have 18 going strong and a few more maybes that I left in. My last two hatches have been good. Could this be a bacterial infection? I candled on Day 3 or 4 and normally I wouldnt have (almost all had veins and on Day 7 I removed the ones I knew were empty), could that have messed with them? If a bacterial infection, what can I do to prevent?? Can I cycle the incubator with a bleach solution or something to clear out the mechanical parts of any possible infection??

I have a sinking feeling that the egg turner wasnt working but I wont know for another half hour or so.... I put the thermometer/hygrometer on the edge of the turner and I think it may have interfered the way it was placed... I will feel so guilty if this was it.... But would not turning cause some to die so early? I would think they would have died further on or something. The incubator was in a spare room this time so I basically just checked in on it once or twice a day to make sure temps were okay. Next time it will be beside the couch again.
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This was also a dry hatch with humidity around 30. I was hoping it would be a better hatch than before. This sucks.
 
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Glad you asked this. I don't have an answer for you, but noticed the same thing when I candled the duck eggs last night.
 
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Mine were quitters, unfortunately. I changed the thread as we ended up discovering they were dead. I hope yours fair better.
 
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Also- On Day 4 and 7 I DEFINITELY saw veining and nothing let me to believe they were duds. So do the veins and such turn to mush or what happens?? Two of them I thought I saw a blood ring but then it seemed on Day 7 they had some veins and the blood ring was not so prominent.
 
Thanks Kathy for that link. I've read it before but now I am bookmarking it. I thought it could be because they were older eggs but oddly enough most of the eggs that died were fresh eggs. I have an egg that was 9 days old going strong.

I am wondering what I can do to prevent a bacterial infection?? I believe this may be the culprit. Can you cycle the bator with a solution to clean out the mechanical parts?? I cleaned with a bleach solution to the styrofoam and the trays and such but I read somewhere on this site that someone had to cycle their bator with a solution after an infection.

Another thing which I just realized is kinda weird- almost all of the eggs that died were in the first or second row of the turner. What could that be?? Maybe a draft? Bacterial infection?? I'm really sad to have lost so many babies, I very much want to know what happened and make sure it never happens again.
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Sorry to hear about your eggs. I'm hoping for the best, my drake dissapeared a couple of days ago so I'll probably end up doing a stagerd hatch with whatever she lays this week since I'm not likely to get another chance.
 
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Aw I am sorry to hear that. Maybe he will return but best of luck with the eggs! Last night I locked down 10 eggs out of 40 I had put in. Really quite depressing.

Also in horror last night I realized I had not washed the automatic egg turner from the last hatch. I can safely assume this could have caused the infection.... but maybe not... It wasnt there when we hatched the eggs so it got no funky stuff on it.... I dont know
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