Smelly Incubator still....

[ValerieLovesChickens]

We are on day 8 here, started with 25 eggs, had to remove 6 after candling. One was so smelly it stunk up the kitchen when I set it aside to dispose of. Luckily none blew up before they went to the garbage. The other 5 had no signs of life and looked like light bulbs. I'm happy though that 19 are still growing strong so far!

My question though is, should my incubator still be smelling?? I have nose tested all the 19 remaining eggs and they don't stink. If this smell is not ok, what can I do? All these 19 embryos are alive and moving. I do however, have 2 eggs in there that have a little poop on them. Are they causing the smell to linger? The lady who gave me the eggs said they would be ok in the incubator. Do I need to warm up some ACV and gently clean these 2 with a cotton swab? Do I need to remove all the eggs and disinfect the incubator from the stench of the truly rotten time bomb that we disarmed?

Please help, this is my first time incubating eggs. Thank you so much in advance.

 

[nchls school]

The dirty eggs would not smell like as you describe and I would not clean them. Check your water reservoir. If you are sure that the remaining eggs are viable, consider doing a quick clean. I find it strange that eggs would be that smelly on day eight. Could the eggs have been bad before they were put in the incubator?

 

[ValerieLovesChickens]

The dirty eggs would not smell like as you describe and I would not clean them. Check your water reservoir. If you are sure that the remaining eggs are viable, consider doing a quick clean. I find it strange that eggs would be that smelly on day eight. Could the eggs have been bad before they were put in the incubator?

There was only 1 super stinky smelly egg, it looked like a black smoky blob floating loosely inside the egg. The other 5 were not fertile and didn't smell. The eggs came from strangers trying to help me out. So I dont know their practices in storing eggs. The remaining 19 pass the sniff test. I only smell that stink when opening the incubator, then it goes away. Is the smell in the styrofoam perhaps??

 

[nchls school]

Did you check the water reservoir? It can get bad if something get into it.
I've had bad eggs in styrofoam bators and the smell did not persist after cleaning.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

My guess is you need to properly clean the incubator to get rid of the smell. If you're quick the eggs will be fine wrapped in a warm towel for 20-30 minutes while you wipe it out really well.

 

[ValerieLovesChickens]

Did you check the water reservoir? It can get bad if something get into it.
I've had bad eggs in styrofoam bators and the smell did not persist after cleaning.

We are running dry here and humidity is at 47/48% consistantly. so, the reservoirs are clean and dry.

 

[ValerieLovesChickens]

My guess is you need to properly clean the incubator to get rid of the smell. If you're quick the eggs will be fine wrapped in a warm towel for 20-30 minutes while you wipe it out really well.

That's what I was wondering if I should do or not. While it did not blow up, I did research they can leak or seep droplets that you may not see until it blows up. ACV or Listerine is what I found to be recommended. Do you agree with either of these to clean it with?

 

[ChocolateMouse]

That's what I was wondering if I should do or not. While it did not blow up, I did research they can leak or seep droplets that you may not see until it blows up. ACV or Listerine is what I found to be recommended. Do you agree with either of these to clean it with?

Honesty? I bleach mine between hatches, I don't take no chances anymore. But if I was going to do a quick mid-hatch clean I'd wipe it out first with white vinegar (Why not ACV? ACV is full of living bacteria that's fine to get into your tummy and less fine in your bloodstream, plus isn't as pure), then wet baking soda. Rinse, dry and stuff the eggs back in.

 

[ValerieLovesChickens]

Honesty? I bleach mine between hatches, I don't take no chances anymore. But if I was going to do a quick mid-hatch clean I'd wipe it out first with white vinegar (Why not ACV? ACV is full of living bacteria that's fine to get into your tummy and less fine in your bloodstream, plus isn't as pure), then wet baking soda. Rinse, dry and stuff the eggs back in.

So glad I posted, so glad you replied. THANK YOU!! Okay I am off to clean the bator out and get rid of this smell. I will double check all the eggs again before I put them back in. I'm sure you just saved their little lives.

 

[ValerieLovesChickens]

UPDATE: I'm so glad y'all said to clean the incubator. Under the bright bathroom light, there was a few drops of yellow icky egg gunk under the plastic mesh on the styrofoam!! So that rotten egg did leak. It smells SO MUCH better now, like new again. I used the white vinegar, then the baking soda and rinsed it super good after. I have it heating back up now, before I put the precious cargo back inside. I put a bath towel on a cookie sheet, put the eggs on that, then wrapped the towel back over the top. Stuck it in my oven (OFF, room temp) to keep them warm & free from a/c draft.