Embryos started developing and then died.

[Jetblack2004]

We ordered 12 Buff Sussex hatching eggs off Ebay. I put them in the incubator straight after they'd arrived. The humidity and temperature was absolutely perfect. After 10 days I candled them; Two were infertile so I took them out, eight looked fine, and two I wasn't so sure about so I put them back in. 3 days later I candled the eggs again. It wasn't just the two eggs that were definitely bad, but three others as well! I was very disappointed as I now only have five good eggs. I can't understand why five started developing and then died. I had some RIR and Light Sussex eggs in there that I'd collected from my own hens and those eggs were all fertile and the embryos were alive. Was it something to do with the Buff Sussex eggs being mailed? Could the seller have stored them badly or for too long? Why did this happen?!

Thanks in advance!

-Jet

 

[Pyxis]

Can you tell us your temp and humidity in the incubator and whether it is a still air or forced air, just in case?

It could have to do with them being mailed for sure, shipped eggs are hard to hatch. Generally if you get 50% to hatch, you count yourself lucky.

 

[Jetblack2004]

They temp was always at 37.5C and the humidity was normally between 44% and 48%. It was a Brinsea Ovation 56 eco incubator and had a fan (forced air).

I've never had eggs shipped before and I might not have them shipped again after this. It's very disappointing.

Thank you for the reply,

-Jet

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

They temp was always at 37.5C and the humidity was normally between 44% and 48%. It was a Brinsea Ovation 56 eco incubator and had a fan (forced air).

I've never had eggs shipped before and I might not have them shipped again after this. It's very disappointing.

Thank you for the reply,

-Jet

I know the feeling - my first experience with shipped duck eggs was a total bust. There was some kind of development, but none hatched. These poor eggs were shipped in unseasonably cold weather on an unfathomably circuitous route that delayed delivery, went to the wrong post office somehow (!), and were likely flown (pressure changes, possible x-ray)...they were doomed from the start. It didn't stop me from trying, though. Very depressing to wait 35+ days and then have to toss the eggs out.

Uncharacteristically, I didn't do eggtopsies because quite frankly, I didn't want to see what was in there.

In fairness, some people report good hatches from shipped eggs, but there are just so many factors that can hinder or prevent the eggs from developing normally (or at all) when they're shipped that local eggs have the advantage. If you do go the shipped eggs route again, you may want to consider letting them rest for 24-48 hours after your unpack them so that they can come up to room temperature and their air cells can settle. There's a lengthy thread about it here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641760/settling-shipped-eggs-necessary-with-auto-turner.

I don't know that this will make you feel any better, but at least you didn't get a shipment where half were infertile, like I did. Starts you off on the wrong foot...

This is admittedly slightly off topic, but how do you like the Ovation 56 Eco incubator? I have an Advance 20, but larger capacity would be nice.