This is an update on my first try with a new egg incubator - and honestly, it didn't go as well as I'd hoped.
Out of the three eggs I placed in the incubator:
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The first egg showed development, but the chick died after an external pip on day 19. I waited two more days, but there was no progress beyond what can be seen in the picture above. Pipped but no zip unfortunately. It did chirp though at 10:30 P.M. on day 19.
This egg was already three days old when I placed it in the incubator, which might have affected its viability. I had stored it in a box in a shaded area in my backyard, turning it daily. I was unaware that eggs should ideally be kept for no more than seven days and in cooler temperature for best hatching rates. Trying to mimic the natural way is not ideal with rising temperature these days. -
The second egg was over a week old and stored similarly to (1) above - likely too old to thrive.
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The third egg came from a stressed hen, which probably affected its viability. I incubated it immediately after finding it, but it never developed.
What Went Wrong?
Reflecting on the failures:
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Egg age & storage: Extended storage (especially beyond 7 days) lowers hatch rates. Temperature in my shaded backyard box may not be ideal (too warm - with average day time temperature of about 30°C and night time of about 25°C).
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Stress factors: The third egg's origin (a stressed hen) likely doomed it from the start.
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Incubation: While the incubator maintained stable temperature (set at 37.8°C)/humidity (between 50% to 60%) and auto-turned, storage issues and egg quality seem to be the root causes. (One egg did develop a chick - proof the incubator works!)
Next Steps
✔ Fresher eggs: Use only eggs less than 7 days old, stored in a cool, stable environment.
✔ Healthier sources: Collect eggs from calm, healthy hens.
Though disappointing, this taught me valuable lessons. We learn from our mistakes anyway.
Buy chicken egg incubators from Amazon.com
(Note: An Amazon.com affiliate link)
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