What on earth is killing my eggs?

[ScissorChick]

I set 26 eggs back in march, and all was going super well until about half way

through incubation. Then I started having to throw out 1 or 2 eggs every other day

becuase they just quit growing, and two that I threw out had bloodrings. I really am

lost, because they were very carefully stored and cared for. I always wash my hands

before handling them, and they were turned 2 or 3 times a day. Now, right before setting

them into lockdown, I found my very good thermometer that had been misplaced, and it's

reading 5 degrees lower than the crappy cheap one. The cheap one is reading 99.5 F and

the better one is reading 95 F..Well, I didn't adjust anything because the last thing I need

right now is temp. fluctuations, and I read that a BYC-er had a good hatch when temps

were lower than what mine is. Ofcoarse, I am expecting late hatches.
Now it's lockdown, day 23, and nothing yet. Yesterday I

set my second half into lockdown (staggered hatch) and candled them, all look perfect, and

seeing movement. I know I'm not supposed to...But I candled a couple that had already been

in lockdown, and I was seeing movement in a couple of them, the rest were super dark.

My incubator, as always, was disenfected since

the last hatch, but after a good cleaning it was stored in the garage. Could bacteria possibly

got into the incubator since the last hatch, causing my eggs, who do SO incredibly well, to

all the sudden die? I always wash my hands before handling the eggs, also.

Judging by the air sacs, humidity looks fine. - I have nothing to read humidity with.

Wow.. Reading over this, I sound like somone who knows nothing about incubating.

We've ALWAYS had great hatches. Until now. Any suggestions on what is happening to

my eggs? Praying for atleast a couple babies this year.. Thanks.

ScissorChick

 

[adrian]

The low temperatures are killing your eggs. Despite what you may hear about people having success with a temperature of 95 degrees, that is way too low. Good chance that the babies that do manage to hatch will be extremely weak. Most will not hatch. These frequent deaths through incubation are due to your temperature. Invest in a really good digital thermometer, I'd say maybe two of them, the ones with probes are usually the most accurate and you can get them at pet stores, and then figure out what your temperature really is.

 

[ScissorChick]

Thanks. Should I turn the temp up now?

 

[Suechick]

Scissorchick, I'm so sorry you've had so much trouble. I sure hope you have some success.

 

[adrian]

I would want to make sure your thermometers are accurate before you mess with the temp, just to be sure. If the temperatures were that low for that long, most likely turning it up won't save those that are beyond saving. However, if you can get another thermometer and put the two digitals in there and compare them and get an accurate reading, I would do so, yes.

 

[kstaven]

I think Adrian hit the nail on the head. Chicks will start to develop at lower temperatures but will not go full term.

 

[ScissorChick]

darn it..I kind of already turned it up last night... One thermometer is reading 102 F

And the 'good' one is reading 99 F. I honastly belive the one that is reading 99 F because

we've had well over 4 hatches with it, with VERY good success.

 

[ScissorChick]

Quote:
Thanks, I do to.

 

[galanie]

Also, having to throw out so many eggs "every other day" could indicate that you are checking them too often. No need to open it that much. Most only candle a few times, like at day 10 and day 18. Though I understand, being your first hatch you want to candle more than that. I know I did

 

[ScissorChick]

Well actually this is my 5th or 6th hatch. We hatch atleast once a year

I candled one or two every other day to see how fast and much they grow. Kinda like an

experiment. But alot of the bad eggs were found by being smelled when I opened the

incubator.

Thanks though.