Author Topic: Is it essential to take infertile eggs out of the incubator? (Read 2071 times)

WoodlandsDevon · « **on:** April 21, 2014, 09:44:31 pm »

I candled my Buff orpington eggs last week, 4 were infertile out of 12. One of those, I wasn't sure whether it was infertile or not so I left them in there. Will this affect the other fertile eggs?
Thanks

Chrisnut · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2014, 09:52:38 pm »

Hi..

.i'm no expert but we hatched duck eggs via an incubator a few years ago and as a first timer it can be quite scary especially when deciding if an egg is developing or not or whether a chick has died in the shell.... if you are unsure let common sense take over and leave the egg in for a further week to candle again for any further growth, obviously the benefit of removing unfertile or dead eggs leaves further room for the good eggs especially if the incubator is already crowding, making the hatching process a little less crowded.

Good luck

Chris

HesterF · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2014, 09:55:03 pm »

Nope, it'll be fine. I always leave them until I'm 100% sure and that can take quite a while with the goose eggs in particular. The infertile ones are no threat - the only ones that might go wrong are the ones that are fertile and then die because I believe they can 'explode' at some point but I've never had it happen.

BTW, my buffs are laying well now & I've just hatched the first bath which were 100% fertile so ready to send you some when your current lot are through.

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2014, 11:31:02 pm »

I only bothered to take them out if I needed space in the inccy, but if you are buying in eggs be more careful as if it is an older egg which has a hairline crack it can be one which will pop. When you are candling take anything out which is cracked.

If you drop it and crack it while candling it can be repaired and will hatch fine, because the air is not allowed to get in over time.

chrismahon · « **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2014, 06:53:46 am »

We take ours out as soon as possible now. We first left some 'don't knows' and they started to weep -small crusty bits forming on the shell. They can split and contaminate the whole hatch I have read.

FiB · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2014, 07:42:15 am »

Interesting.... I don't cAndle, so don't remove any, But we have variable hatch rates 6-17 out of 20, so maybe that's why? Always assumed it was just that some wern't fertilised.

Steph Hen · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2014, 09:38:08 am »

I find it helpful to draw on the shell of any "not sure" eggs: rather than just a ? I now draw the outline of any blobs I can see, then it's easier to tell if the blob or veins has changed in another few days.