Help Please!

[chrhudak]

Hi all! I am so worried about my chicks about to hatch. Some background info...I have hatched about 4 or 5 sucessful hatches with an incubator with very good results. I have a Brinsea 20. My chicks (white leghorn x RIR) are due to hatch today into tomorrow. I have been patiently waiting for their arrival. This morning I noticed one of the eggs (total of 15) was beginning to pip out. I was thrilled. Over the course of the day 3 more started to pip through. My problem is one egg, that I thought might be a quitter, cracked and started oozing on the floor of the incubator and oozed onto another egg

I debated what to do. I didn't want to open the top and drop the humidity and risk the pipping eggs, but I also didn't want to leave that nasty egg and goo in the incubator either. I know both can put my chicks in danger. I feel like kicking myself because at last candling I thought there might be a problem with that one egg, it was all dark, but I saw no movement. I just had a feeling it was not right. I just didn't want to disappoint my students by getting rid of an egg I wasn't 100% sure was a quitter. Darn...now I've put the whole batch at risk

My questions are this:
1. Did I do the right thing by quickly removing the cracked and oozing egg? I only had the lid off partially for maybe 5 seconds to remove the egg and put a little water in the bottom to flush off the ooze. The wet bulb and dry bulb thermometer never dropped.

2. Will my chicks definitely have trouble getting out of the shell, because I took the lid off and therefore let all that humid air escape? Do you think they will be okay?

3. If my chicks do hatch okay....will the bacteria that was in the rotten egg contaminate them and kill them?

4. Will I put my students at risk if they hold the chicks after being exposed to that nice bacteria filled egg. (I always have them wash their hands anyway with soap and water) By the way the egg really wasn't that stinky...I was pretty surprised at that! Very nasty looking...lol...but not too smelly!

Thanks so much in advance for your help...this board is awesome and you all seem like such a nice bunch of folks

Christy

 

[chickpeaz]

I think getting the nasty egg out was a good idea. I don't think the impact on your humidity and temps would have been that significant in such a short time. As far as the bacteria goes, I would just caution your kids to wash well after handling the chicks (which is a good practice regardless) -- I doubt it would harm the chicks but I really don't know.

Good luck with the rest of your hatch -- please let us know how it turns out!

 

[chrhudak]

chickpeaz...thank you so much...you have reassured me! I was thinking they were all goners...probably overreacting a little bit

It is amazing how you become attached to these little things

I am so excited to go into school tomorrow and see if any have hatched. I will definitely keep you guys posted. I will have to remember to bring my camera and take some pictures and post those too!

 

[Jake1297]

One more note. Your kids should wash their hands before handling the chicks also. Or am I being germaphobic?

 

[CCourson05]

One more note. Your kids should wash their hands before handling the chicks also. Or am I being germaphobic?

No good point. You don't want the chicks to get sick a day after hatching..​

 

[blefky]

Those little Brinseas recover humidity very quickly. You definitely did the right thing.

 

[drumstick diva]

You did the right thing - stink eggs explode and contaiminate everything around them- plus the stench is horrific

 

[midget_farms]

I would have done the same thing. There are always exceptions to the rule.

When I have to open mine I always add steamy water to the bator to make sure the H jumps right back up quick.

 

[wannabchick]

How is your hatch going?

 

[chrhudak]

Thanks so much everyone....I definitely feel better

My incubator is in my classroom and I am home for the night, so I am on pins and needles waiting to go into work tomorrow! When I left for the day, there were about 5 or so pipped out of 15 (well now 15 since I had the stinker explode)...and a whole lot of peeping going on. I will update you guys tomorrow when I get to school. I am hoping a few will wait until tomorrow to completely hatch so my students can see some of the action. I usually get pretty good results with my hatches...that Brinsea does a great job holding the temp steady. At last candling about a week ago, I was only concerned about that one egg, the rest looked good. So I am keeping my fingers crossed that the majority will get out of there shells ok. Last year, I had a late death...poor little guy looked fully formed, but never even began to pip out.

Thanks again!
Christy