I can't believe this no development and early embryo deaths 23 eggs!

[Ducklove334]

So I checked the eggs this morning, and smelled something funky, a couple eggs were getting right icky,

so i took them all out and mass candled...


out of 23! eggs, 15 had no development, 7 had VERY early baby deaths, including my two mallard eggs, one baby was only this big> | |

and was stuck to the side of the shell, and was not moving, the other was just a ball, one chicken egg had a very well developed baby about this big> | | that was dead

my cayuga egg wasn't fertile either..and a couple more chicken eggs had smaller dead babies

what did i do wrong??

I left the bator up, I am thinking of setting some fresh eggs this morning..but I dunno...

 

[Guitartists]

What kind of bator are you using? What were your temp and humidity at? Did you have a power outage? Anybody that could have messed with the controls?

So sorry you lost them

 

[Ducklove334]

I have a little giant, I've used them before, and had good success with keeping the heat in aand such.

temp was at 100 degrees, and thats what it's supposed to be with still air.

I'm not sure on humidity, I've never checked that.


no one messes with the bator but me, though it's in a spot where it does get rattled alot when you walk, but it's the only place to put it without the dog getting into it, or the cats all over it.

I put two more eggs in there that are fresh(yay warm eggs!), and I'll try those out.

I'll have babies one day!

 

[tiki244]

I am so sorry. What is your humidity at? The temp may be hard to regulate with the weather we are having. Hopefully you can keep it in a draft free place.

IIf I am not mistaken, I thiink for a still air incubator the temp at the top of the eggs should be 102*.

 

[SunAngel]

Sorry your hatch failed

I just had the same problem. I am using the same LG still air bator that I hatched 14 chicks in around Thanksgiving, but yesterday only 2 out of the original 16 made it to hatching and then died. The rest died in various stages of development...some looked ready to hatch. I did everything just the same as last time, I don't understand what can go so wrong. Think I am going to hold off trying again until I can get a Hovabator.

Good luck on your next attempt!

 

[minna]

If you have never checked your humidity and you had one stuck the shell, that is probably your problem. You can get a cheap hygrometer at walmart. An Accurite. A lot of ppl on here use them. I would say fixing the humidity would help out a lot. Were these eggs yours are were they shipped?

 

[Laskaland]

WOW! I am sooo sorry this happened. HUMIDITY is SOOO important!!
Walmart has a $7 Springfield model. Ducks ESPECIALLY need a nice steady, higher humidity. These birds need humidity to grow their little bodies...
PLEASE get a hygrometer before you try again. No reason to waste 3-4 weeks and end up with zilch when you can get the temp/humidity gauge and KNOW what you've got

You could candle at day 10 and again at 18 when you get ready for the hatch. You'd know where you are then

GOOD LUCK!
Christina

PS- Walmart has the springfield model online also- same price- if you can't get to one.

 

[farmergal]

I don't have a ton of hatching experience, but I've read on here that it's really important to completely sterilize the incubator between hatches. Don't know if that would cause death so early on... I thought it was usually more late-term deaths caused by bacterial growth... but you never know.

I douse mine in hydrogen peroxide because I hate the smell of bleach. (After scrubbing it out with baking soda and boiling water.)

Sorry for your loss, hope your next hatch goes great!!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

The early deaths were most likely from a temp spike or drop. Humidity has very little to do with death at that early of an age. Though you do need to be sure you keep water in it. They have channels in them that keep the humidity perfect in most instances.
Now as for the LG 's I cant stand them. I use Hova's, they have never failed me as far as a small incubator.
I tried a digital Little Giant last year and it would spike nearly to 105 every other day regardless of what you did. Now I know why they were only $40! The $75 for a Hova Bator is well worth it.
And, I keep mine inside my house at a constant 70 degrees, which is another thing I would recommend, keep them inside! There is too much temp fluctuations during a day time cycle outdoors or in a barn.
Also, 100 is the correct temp for still air and 99.5 forced air, 102 will cook them.
Do you hand turn 2-3 times daily or do you have a turner?
I don't trust turners, I always hand turn even in a auto turner at least once daily,
A chick stuck to the side of a shell is usually a sign of improper turning as opposed to humidity , at least in the early stages of development.
And finally, the question of whether or not they were shipped?
Shipped ones sometimes will begin to develop and then die for no good reason other than shipping stress, not much you can do about that.
I hope this helps, I know others will have different opinions, but this has served me well for 26 years of hatching.
If you have to much more trouble, try a Hova Bator D-2362-N
I have 4 of them running year round with excellent results, but as I said, my Little Giant , nuked a bunch of expensive eggs last year!
Good luck and don't give up, You'll get the bugs worked out!
Aubrey

P.S.
Farmergal, is right too, always wash them thouroghly with antibaterial soap between hatches!
The steamy hot enviorment we create in there is a breeding ground for bacteria!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Sounds like ether a turning issue or bacteria. Humidity issues usual only kill at hatch time.


As for cleaning with hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol, nether is effective. There effectiveness has been hipped for years by there manufacturers for home use. EMS only uses clean water for open wounds an a 10 to 1 bleach solution for equipment. Without digging my my National Registry First Response manual out to get the exacts, hydrogen peroxide an rubbing alcohol have detrimental effects that clean water does not an water removes bacteria just as well.