Help Unsuccessful hatch eggtopsies

[Dav0W]

Hi All,

I have a hovabator incubator and have used this for the first time with my call ducks and australorp chickens with a staggered entry time so the eggs hatch at approximately the same time.
I filled up the 1st water pan according to instructions which gave a humidity reading of 50 - 60% on a digital hygrometer and filled every couple of days. To begin with I added the 13 duck eggs to the bottom auto turner and 7 days later added the 25 or so chicken eggs and candled the duck eggs; 8 looked good and 5 were infertile so I removed them.
On day 17 I checked all eggs, All 8 duck eggs looked good and 5 chicken eggs had blood rings and were removed. On day 24 I candled the eggs again, only 1 or possibly 2 duck eggs looked ok, all the rest of chicken eggs looked ok. I ended having success with the rest of the chicken eggs but had no duck eggs hatch

I'm thinking bacteria could have been an issue as the eggs were not cleaned but I would not have thought all would have gone bad as half looked spotless.

Here are some photos of some of the eggtopsies after they all failed the float test and had a high float. Please help, I really want to learn from this

Thanks, Dave

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi All,

I have a hovabator incubator and have used this for the first time with my call ducks and australorp chickens with a staggered entry time so the eggs hatch at approximately the same time.
I filled up the 1st water pan according to instructions which gave a humidity reading of 50 - 60% on a digital hygrometer and filled every couple of days. To begin with I added the 13 duck eggs to the bottom auto turner and 7 days later added the 25 or so chicken eggs and candled the duck eggs; 8 looked good and 5 were infertile so I removed them.
On day 17 I checked all eggs, All 8 duck eggs looked good and 5 chicken eggs had blood rings and were removed. On day 24 I candled the eggs again, only 1 or possibly 2 duck eggs looked ok, all the rest of chicken eggs looked ok. I ended having success with the rest of the chicken eggs but had no duck eggs hatch

I'm thinking bacteria could have been an issue as the eggs were not cleaned but I would not have thought all would have gone bad as half looked spotless.

Here are some photos of some of the eggtopsies after they all failed the float test and had a high float. Please help, I really want to learn from this

Thanks, Dave

Sorry to hear about your hatch. First off is the incubator still or forced air and what were your temps? Have your therometers(s) and hygrometer ever been tested for accuracy. Secondly, are these shipped eggs or local eggs? Did the chicken eggs that hatched hatch out on day 21? I would also consider doing a "low humidity incubation method" if you are not in a high elevation and not following the standard humidity directions with the manuals. I don't think that humidity was the issue in these as these are early quitters, but it's something to consider.

 

[Dav0W]

Hi, thanks for your reply. This bator has a fan and I had a digital thermometer reading approx 37 at egg height and another analog reading almost 38. I have another analog now which I will incorporate. They haven't been tested for accuracy. I assume that is by checked with a known working one? These are eggs from my own chickens and ducks. Ok, on the bator directions it just says to keep tray 1 out of 4 full of water until day 18 and then fill both 1 and 2, But to change if need be. The chickens on average came slightly late with 8 on day 21, 5 on day 22 and 1 on 23, in fact still pushing through now. I'm approx 200m above sea level here in Subtropical East Coast Australia

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi, thanks for your reply. This bator has a fan and I had a digital thermometer reading approx 37 at egg height and another analog reading almost 38. I have another analog now which I will incorporate. They haven't been tested for accuracy. I assume that is by checked with a known working one? These are eggs from my own chickens and ducks. Ok, on the bator directions it just says to keep tray 1 out of 4 full of water until day 18 and then fill both 1 and 2, But to change if need be. The chickens on average came slightly late with 8 on day 21, 5 on day 22 and 1 on 23, in fact still pushing through now. I'm approx 200m above sea level here in Subtropical East Coast Australia

Aussie! Totally cool. I've always had a thing for Australia- outback though....not the big cities. I would adjust the temp up 37.5-37.8 on your digital because of the later hatches. I would also do a trial and move the thermometer around in the bator and check for significant hot/cool spots as that can cause eggs to develop at different rates too if you don't rotate the eggs regularly. I absolutely HATE the manuals that come with bators because of their 'humidity suggestions". They don't take into account the hatchers climate/location, habits, egg quality. The best way to gauge humidity is to find what humidity works best for you and a manual can't do that for you. Heck, just taking someone's advice can't do that for sure. I use this method and find it very successful for me, and I know many others have too: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

They aren't shipped eggs, so that rules out handling. If your ducks/chicks are nutritionally sound and healthy then egg quality should be good. So it could be bacteria or just a matter of tweaking the incubation process. I will say that one picture that's dark brown would leave me to believe possibly bacteria. The last pic the yolk looks scrambled. I would give it a second shot and slightly increase temp.(Yes, checking it against a known accurate thermometer is best.) And consider using the low humidity method. See if the outcome is different. If you are able I would also rotate the eggs during incubation so if there are warm/cool spots the same egg isn't stagnant in that spot the entire time.

Also if you are interested this might help: http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/trouble.html

 

[Dav0W]

Ha Where I am it's subtropical rainforest and eucalyptus bush but only 1.5 hrs from city. Definitely not the outback, I'll check for hot/cold spots and adjust humidity and check air cell size next time. The ducks are all healthy aside from the ticks they can get from time to time which can drop them for a day or so and some paralysis ticks can even bring down cattle and horses. I'll try again very soon and hopefully figure out what it exactly is. If I have good success I'll let you know, thanks a lot for your help

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Ha Where I am it's subtropical rainforest and eucalyptus bush but only 1.5 hrs from city. Definitely not the outback, I'll check for hot/cold spots and adjust humidity and check air cell size next time. The ducks are all healthy aside from the ticks they can get from time to time which can drop them for a day or so and some paralysis ticks can even bring down cattle and horses. I'll try again very soon and hopefully figure out what it exactly is. If I have good success I'll let you know, thanks a lot for your help

Hope you tweak it and have better success!