Just given partially incubated eggs... what would you do?

[ahchick1]

I was just given 5 partially incubated bantam eggs... the nice lady I got them from wasn't sure how long a hen had been sitting on them. I got them home as quick as I could, and quickly candled them before getting them in an incubator pronto to get them back to ideal temperature. One in particular was really developed... I could mostly just see a dark mass, part of a beak (?), and an air pocket. The other looked pretty developed too, though perhaps not quite as fully dark. All had big air cells though. Looking at all the candling photos I'd guess they're 14-18 days along. So I'm not sure how to treat them. Lock them down? Keep rotating? Any words of wisdom? Thanks.

 

[Bryam]

No rotating and up the humidity and keep your fingers crossed!

 

[Lalegid]

I think that's what I would do too, get the humidity up to 70-75%, stop turning and keep the incubator closed. Good luck!

 

[ahchick1]

Thanks for the input. I did one final quick candling that first night I got them and think they're at different stages though within a week apart. So either they were laid in a staggered fashion or the others aren't developing right. I've been adding damp rags or paper towels to keep the humidity in the 70% range as keeping the well filled doesn't do enough. I think I saw the most solid looking/advanced egg move last night, and this evening when I went to put a damp rag in the 'bator I smelled something off. 1 egg smelled bad (a dirtier looking one) though partially developed - so I tossed it; the others smelled fine. And when I quickly examined that egg that I thought had moved, it peeped at me (luckily I didn't drop it in surprise). So hopefully I haven't messed up its hatching by going in to get out the rotten one and quickly looking them all over. Guess I'll know its fate in the next day or two if it hatches or not. Now, if the one does hatch but none of the 3 remaining do... guess it'll be time to find it a buddy.

 

[Razadia]

Did it ever hatch?

 

[ahchick1]

Thanks for asking. With some hatching assistance it is now drying in the incubator; it'd pooped in the egg already so was definitely overdue. 1 other egg began to stink after 2 days - so I tossed it. And the other 3 don't seem to be developing at all. I think that's likely why they looked to be at different stages - some just quit at different stages and were likely DOA when I picked them up. Assuming this little guy survives the next 24 hrs... will need to find him/her a buddy pronto.