Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: RICH_Chicken on April 24, 2015, 16:37

Title: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: RICH_Chicken on April 24, 2015, 16:37
Hi all,

I incubated my first set of eggs last month and got zero hatch which was disappointing! I've got a new batch in now which look promising however this last couple of days there has been a rotten egg smell coming from the incubator? And I'm worried? Will that mean all eggs are no good? Also what do I need to do? It's starting to make the kitchen smell! The last eggs there was not a smell like this! HELP!!!
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: Norfolkgrey on April 24, 2015, 16:49
Find the culprit and remove. However, if it has been like this for a while it might have done any good'uns in  :(
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: RICH_Chicken on April 24, 2015, 16:51
Daft question....how would you find them? Smell??
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: Norfolkgrey on April 24, 2015, 16:56
Yep smell - it will be the one you have to hold at arms length and fear dropping  :ohmy:

How long have the eggs been in? I don't suppose you have candled them?
Also where abouts in the world are you?  ;)  :)
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: RICH_Chicken on April 24, 2015, 17:00
Haha thanks! They have been in about 15 days and candles a few and they had movement in 😀😀😀 but I'm a novice this is only my second atttempt! I live in UK (Yorkshire)
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: Norfolkgrey on April 24, 2015, 17:11
When you candle you should look for a red spider like pattern. Occasionally you can see an eye but it is the red spider you should go by. Movement is not a good indicator, it could just be yolk and stuff rolling about inside. And you are fine - this is the easy bit just wait until they chip the eggs, then you'll get excited followed by panic  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Oh Yorkshire, that's a bit far for me to offer you eggs  :)
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: RICH_Chicken on April 24, 2015, 18:31
Found the culprit egg no.2 had cracked and was extremely smelly! So removed and cleaned down the incubator and hopefully we can carry on!
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: Helenaj on April 25, 2015, 18:14
Don't candle them any more - they now need to settle ready for hatching and at day 18 onwards don't move them at all, just let your incubator do its stuff and watch the water levels. I used to get in such a state at day 21 that if it was a week day I'd make sure I had the day off!!
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: RICH_Chicken on April 27, 2015, 21:56
Can I ask do I switch incubator off soon as the chicks are due Saturday? Or just leave it on throughout??
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: Sparkyrog on April 27, 2015, 21:58
leave it on  :)
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: RICH_Chicken on April 27, 2015, 22:30
Thanks

Will keep everyone updated as I'm not sure what's going to happen as its only second batch I've tried and didn't get a single one from first batch 😢 and had a few rotten eggs in this lot! So fingers crossed! 🙏🏻 on the plus side I'm learning more each time 😀
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: Mum2mj on April 28, 2015, 08:11
Good luck!  :D
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: Norfolkgrey on April 28, 2015, 09:08
Do you know what breed/s you are hatching?
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: RICH_Chicken on April 28, 2015, 12:47
Think they are warrens/isa that's where we got the eggs from a farm which had them. Why you ask?
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: Norfolkgrey on April 28, 2015, 14:00
Some breeds can take a touch less or a little longer to hatch.  :)
Title: Re: Incubator smells like rotten egg
Post by: RICH_Chicken on April 28, 2015, 22:30
Ok thanks for info, will keep everyone updated! Not long left hopefully fingers crossed!