Eggtopsy on 5 eggs....what does this mean?

[ChickenHawk12]

So, after 25 days in the incubator, I finally gave up on my 5 "duds" (my first time incubating, and I was using a borrowed incubator). My husband cracked them open (I didn't want to see any dead chickies), and all 5 of them were liquid inside, one of them popped when he cracked it and smelled HORRID like rotten eggs.

At lockdown on day 18, I put my own thermometer inside the incubator next to the eggs (it was a room temp/humidity thermometer I used when the kids were babies), and discovered that the temp inside the incubator was about 2.5 degrees lower than the incubator screen was reading, and the humidity was about 15% higher.

They were mail order eggs from Murray McMurray, and I find it hard to believe that ALL 5 were unfertilized, so I'm assuming that the low temp was the issue? Do the results of the eggtopsy confirm low temp as the culprit? When I put my own thermometer inside, the temp was measuring 96 degrees.

 

[ChickenHawk12]

ETA - I have already ordered 6 more eggs, this time from Meyer. It is closer to me (Ohio vs. Iowa shipping to NJ), so I'm hoping that will increase my odds. Do you think that increasing the incubator temperature might solve the problem the 2nd time around? I'll be happy if I get 2 good chicks out of the half dozen....

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So, after 25 days in the incubator, I finally gave up on my 5 "duds" (my first time incubating, and I was using a borrowed incubator). My husband cracked them open (I didn't want to see any dead chickies), and all 5 of them were liquid inside, one of them popped when he cracked it and smelled HORRID like rotten eggs.

At lockdown on day 18, I put my own thermometer inside the incubator next to the eggs (it was a room temp/humidity thermometer I used when the kids were babies), and discovered that the temp inside the incubator was about 2.5 degrees lower than the incubator screen was reading, and the humidity was about 15% higher.

They were mail order eggs from Murray McMurray, and I find it hard to believe that ALL 5 were unfertilized, so I'm assuming that the low temp was the issue? Do the results of the eggtopsy confirm low temp as the culprit? When I put my own thermometer inside, the temp was measuring 96 degrees.

ETA - I have already ordered 6 more eggs, this time from Meyer. It is closer to me (Ohio vs. Iowa shipping to NJ), so I'm hoping that will increase my odds. Do you think that increasing the incubator temperature might solve the problem the 2nd time around? I'll be happy if I get 2 good chicks out of the half dozen....

Definitely, raise that temp so that it's 99.5F (forced air) or 101-102F (still air). For humidity, I recommend a low humidity incubation and monitoring the air cells (unless you're in a high elevation). I use this method and run about 30% for standard sized eggs: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
Now, 96 is defininetly not what you want for temps, but you should hae still had development in the eggs. My first hatch my thermometer was off 6 degrees, (I did not find out until after the hatch) and I had 17 go into lockdown moving and alive, but I only ended up with two hatchers, one of which was too weak to survive and one survivor that hatched day 24. Low temps will cause delayed development, but you still normally see development. My guess would be damage to the egg at a cellular level from shipping. The postal service is not kind to eggs and usually is the #1 cause of failed shipped eggs. Rough handling can compromise them. Shipped eggs are risky. Sometimes (depending on where they are coming from and how roughly they are handled) you can get decent hatches with shipped, other times you can score a big fat zero.

Is your incubator by any chance the digital Little Giant from Tractor supply?

 

[ChickenHawk12]

Yes! It's borrowed, but that's what it says on the styrofoam.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Yes! It's borrowed, but that's what it says on the styrofoam.

The little giant digital incubators are notorious for the display being off 2 or more degrees. The majority of people who buy them have to set it a good 2 degrees or more higher to get the internal temps right. Never trust a bator's readout or an unchecked thermometer. Always double check. Always have your own thermometer that you know is correct in the bator.
The hygrometers on those bators are often crap too. Many stay around 45-50% regardless of water in the bator. I would not depend on that either.

Now does that have the fan installed, or is it still air? That will make a difference as to what temps you need too.

 

[ChickenHawk12]

I don't see a fan or hear one, I'm pretty sure it's still air. There is a wire coming from the main unit that has a plastic sheet attached. The guy I borrowed it from told me to make sure the plastic sheet is laying on top of the eggs.

 

[ChickenHawk12]

And yes, the humidity stayed between 40 and 50% no matter how much water I put in

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I don't see a fan or hear one, I'm pretty sure it's still air. There is a wire coming from the main unit that has a plastic sheet attached. The guy I borrowed it from told me to make sure the plastic sheet is laying on top of the eggs.

That is the sensor. So, then it's a still air incubator. Still air needs the temps regulated between 101-102F with the temps taken near the tops of the eggs.

And yes, the humidity stayed between 40 and 50% no matter how much water I put in

That's par for course with those incubators. I'd never recommend them, but if you have your own thermometers/hygrometer so you know the accurate temps and you adjust for the differences, you can get decent hatches from them.