Silkie Air Pocket problem...

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fowlweatherfriends

fowlweatherfriends

Songster
12 Years
Mar 14, 2007
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The Sunny South
I currently have 11 Silkie eggs and 8 OEGB eggs in a little giant bator. They are on day 16. All have been candled (yesterday) and babies look fine BUT....two of the silkies have the air pocket or hole on the side of the egg, not on the large end like the others.

Is there anything I should do to help the air pocket move to the large end (try setting them on small end?)? The eggs are on their side-no turner. What are the odds for an actual hatch from those two eggs? Will the chicks naturally situate themselves near the air pocket even though it is on the side?

Please, any help is MUCH appreciated! I have been waiting to own Silkies for a long time, and I don't want to loose these if I can avoid it.

Thank U
 
Silkie eggs can have some really strange air cells. There isn't anything to do about repositioning the air cell itself and more than likely the peep will be OK.
 
Thank you! Has anyone else had weird air cells and the chicks did fine? I am such a worry-wart when it comes to these eggs! The resposibility for doing this correctly is a lot of pressure. The mama hen that sat my clutch of OEGB's did such an excellent job-and I really love the hands-off approach lol!
The incubator has so many different factors that it is stressful. I imagine that the more I incubate artifically, the less I will worry.
 
I don't know the answer but I am curious to know. I have some silkies in the bator right now too. They have been in 4 days. I also have some salmon faverolles and a few OEGB's in there. I tried candling a couple of the lighter colored eggs and could not tell anything at this point. You are so right about the stress level. I don't know how I will make it. All I could see is the yolk floating around in there. I could not tell if there was an air pocket. How soon should I be able to tell if there is a proper air pocket or where it is located? Thanks. Good luck with your hatch.

Marie
 
Hi Marie,
I candled at day 7 and could clearly see the air cells. You may have to manipulate the egg gently at diff. angles if your candling method is homemade.

Whats weird is that when I candled at day 7 all the air cells were in the large end and by the last candle at day 15 those two had moved to the side of the egg.

I will know most likely by Sat. and the latest by this upcoming Sunday when the chicks are due to hatch. I'll update on the 2 with the side air pocket then. I'm keeping them in their own separate corner of the bator so I can identify them when hatch time comes.

Oh, the stress!
 
Well mine have only been in for four days now. I put them in on the evening of March 29th. So it is early. And the silkie eggs are darker too. I could not find my flashlight so I used a lamp covered with a towel and put a piece of cartboard with a hole cut out on top of the lamp. Then I set the egg on top. I did notice a red line like a vein on one egg and it was an OEGB but it could have been my imagination. I am so excited. Let me know how it goes. I will try to update on mine as well. I should have just ordered chicks from McMurray, but I did not need 25.

Marie
 
All of the eggs I have gotten from people this year, the air cells have been large and oblong extending down the side a bit, common on shipped eggs in my experience.
I have some due to hatch next week, and the week after and then some after that. The first batch due next week are BLRW eggs, and I left them in there, with the weird air cells, because they have continued to develop. The only concern I have is that the chick won't have enough room to fully develop with the larger air cell. The air cells being large are from day one, not do to too high or low of humidity, it is due to shipping.

I will keep others informed on the status of these eggs if y'all want.

Also, as far as trying to correct the air cell, you could place the egg in the bottom part of an egg carton to let the cell right itself and get the chick facing up, but other than that, nothing different.
 
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What if you can't see the air cell. Do I need more light? I can see the yolk floating around in the middle of the egg but how do you see where the air cell is? I am so confused. I have read so much and looked at so many photos and I am still confused.

Marie
 
Marie, the technique you are using is keeping you from being able to see the air cell. I use one of the mini mag flash lights. I can move the light around the egg and see so much with it. Since you're aircell is at the top of the egg and your trying to light it from the bottom that's why you can't see it. Also, if the eggs are really fresh there won't be an obvious air cell to see, that develops during the incubation process.
 

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