Test Incubation: Due to hatch 12/19 (including eggtopsies **graphic pictures**)

[Redhead Rae]

I just candled again

Incubator 1:
There are wiggly babies in all 12 eggs!

Incubator 2:
The three that showed now development last time have no change. 3 more eggs have blood rings. 6 eggs have wiggly babies in them. However, one of the eggs is so dark that I'm concerned it might be a twin egg. I really hope not.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I'm going to do an eggtopsy on the 6 dead ones tomorrow.

SOP for eggtopsies is to put them in a ziplock bag before cracking them, right?

 

[WVduckchick]

I'm going to do an eggtopsy on the 6 dead ones tomorrow.

SOP for eggtopsies is to put them in a ziplock bag before cracking them, right?

Sorry you've lost some, but it sounds like still a good hatch going.
I only put them in bags if I suspect a rotten one (once ever). Otherwise, it should be fine.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Sorry you've lost some, but it sounds like still a good hatch going.
I only put them in bags if I suspect a rotten one (once ever). Otherwise, it should be fine.

Thanks. I was actually expecting more to fail than have but you always hope for perfect hatches.

I think the problem with incubator 2 is twofold. 1) These are the older eggs of the lot, probably were at least 10 days old before I set them. 2) As you can see in this picture, it is the incubator closer to the floor. I'm tempted to put another piece of furniture under it to better protect from drafts.

 

[WVduckchick]

I wrapped mine with this insulation. Seemed to help alot (until the heater and/or thermostat went out, and i replaced the whole thing)
Maybe just sit a piece of cardboard in front of it, if it's drafty there?

 

[Redhead Rae]

I wrapped mine with this insulation. Seemed to help alot (until the heater and/or thermostat went out, and i replaced the whole thing)
Maybe just sit a piece of cardboard in front of it, if it's drafty there?
View attachment 1207386 View attachment 1207388

What a wonderful idea. Although I might remove it as hatch gets close. I want to be able to see the hatching babies without lifting the lid. I see you had the same one.

Yes it is drafty close to the floor. I have pillows underneath the end table I'm using as an incubator stand, but I don't think it is enough.

 

[WVduckchick]

Mine was the gray bottom instead of the clear. I cut windows in 2 sides (eventually all 4 sides) and super-glued plastic pieces from CD jewel cases over the holes. Worked well! Lol So when i added the insulation, I cut around my windows. The clear bottoms now are much nicer.

Just be sure not to block any vents.

 

[WVduckchick]

Oh, I saw many people use the packing foam that came in the box, if you still have it.

 

[aart]

I'm going to do an eggtopsy on the 6 dead ones tomorrow.

SOP for eggtopsies is to put them in a ziplock bag before cracking them, right?

I used a snack sized ziplock...only open enough to stick a dental tool in there to break shell off thru the air cell end....guards against stinkers blowing everywhere and catches any oozing. I do this outside, just in case. I had some pics but can't find them.

 

[Redhead Rae]

***Warning Eggtospy photos***
I performed an eggtospy on the 6 eggs that showed

• No movement
• No growth
• Blood rings

These are the eggs that I removed from the incubator: #14, #15, #17, #18, #20, and #22

#14, you can clearly see the light throughout the egg.

No development at all

#15, It isn't as easy to see in this egg, but you can see clear through this one

However, this little one had a good bit of development going and there was very little blood in the yolk. At first I thought I made a mistake. However, after watching for movement in the embryo and looking at what a chick at day 14 of development should look like (https://www.raising-happy-chickens.com/incubation-day-14.html) I'm convinced this chick died around day 9 or 10

#17, when I candled on day 6, I found this crack in the egg. Looks like it had been pecked at one point and you can clearly see light through the egg.

It looks like the embryo started development and just stopped.

#18, you can see a good amount of light in this egg too

This one started development and looks like it stopped developing.

#20, you can see clear through this one as well.

Looks like Development started, but the egg got infected with something nasty.

#22, you can see a good deal of light through this egg as well.

This chick was stuck to the shell and looks like it stopped development a day or two before the other chick embryo.

I'm breathing a sigh of relief that I didn't crack any live eggs.