Rock Sister
In the Brooder
Hand turn at the angle she suggests. Definately place in egg carton with holes cut out underneath. I also place the soft, spongy shelf liner that has holes to insulate the vibration from fan motor underneath carton. I use the sea glass for aquariums/floral and if any extra egg holes I fill each half way with those. Helps keep heat stabilized near them. And, I also have an egg shell thermometer for my ships because there can be no temp fluctuations because that weakens further. They are that delicate. This is how I treat shipped eggs. They can't handle dealing with stress and energy is used for that more than developing.
Stress:
Vibration .. All the way until lockdown which usually results in death for mine at lockdown.
Rocking back and forth(turning):
really need to sit straight up. After 7 days, check air cells. Most should be reattached. On day 7, if my air cells are holding at top, they get rotated to other side of carton. Those that aren't quite positioned center and have slight movement get placed at the angle in which that air cell moves to be centered. Most by this time are just slightly off say 20-30 degrees so thats what I do minus about 5 degrees so that air cell still has connection to the area it previously shared. I am using gravity and egg white formation as support for that air cell to cradle in. I do 3 rocks a day and no more. I feel it takes that long for the movement I created to settle once again.
Morning, day 7, candle. No twisting, no tilting. I candle under 1 min, thats getting egg, candle, replace.
Lunchtime day 7. Since I now know which eggs still working on getting back together, I now place those certain degree eggs( I never rock back and forth more than 15 degrees) back to the center. The others get their normal back and forth rock but at same degree.
Dinner time: last rock for the day, I take eggs in progress and move back to same side that bubble moving away from again. This creates a small pressure They remain in that position overnight and air cell will be center if you take a picture on day 7 of your eggs as placed with air cell centered to the top so in case you forget where position was at when you first candled air cell that will help.
Note: the air cell will actually be to the side of top, the reason I do this is because the chalazaye is actually little tiny nerves wound in a spiral thread. Thats why u never twist your egg, as if you were turning a dial. There is one at both ends of egg used to hold egg white in place which supports yolk, which supports air cell. If twisted, it will eventually break, especially if you spin only in one direction. If both directions, you tighten and loosen until the chalazaye is severed or at least severly damaged and unable to come back together. The reason I dont do full rocks for days 11-14 on those eggs is because Im trying to get white to thicken and hold to chalazaye. Once the chalazaye has begun to "recoat" and become stronger then they can handle any negative pressure from air cells now going to opposite side if any. You get two times to go in there. Day 7 and day 16 so plan and be ready.
My centered cells. Opposite side once again. I do this for 3 days, at 6,12 and 6. All eggs with their individual "ICU" needs. They need time in between not only for air cells but also to restabilize and small degree helps with less recovery time for them. The stress from shipping uses up the energy the germ had to hatch for gravitational stress so I make sure that they only have to grow minus my curiosity of how they are faring.
We are now on day 11. No candling. The air cell has been giving prime opportunity to slowly form, hopefully avoiding saddle-shaped cells due to lesser degree of lean on egg. By this point, I have given them all the support to rebuild and stabilize
I now slowly center all eggs and then choose a side to start. I rock from the width. Probably doesnt matter. Get it done and get out! Then at lunch, opposite side, still no more than 10-15 degrees.
I do it this way until day 16 where I quit rocking. On this day, I just allow them to get ready and rest. On this day they are almost finished, with little things left like toenails and beak left. I am still on no more than 30% humidity. Same goes for day 17.
Days 18-19. These two days the chick is chugging that egg yolk and it is at this time, my humidity will rise to 75 degrees until they hatch. In the same carton they sat in the entire time. I don't get good hatch rates on shipped eggs lying down. The gravity is still too hard on them. Before I raise humidity, I candle day 18 for internal pip signs, chick position and air cell position, marking the air cell. Under one minute, hands warmed and cleaned. I do before humidity rise because it causes sweating, cooling my internal egg temp and causing my chick to chill and pulling any bacteria in with it. I also use disposable gloves when handling. In my personal experience, sweating at lockdown seems to be enough shock to often kill them. So, If I do not see internal pip, I place back in, largest part of air cell up and begin to watch for external pip.
Day 16 Is my last day to open, period. I watch humidity carefully, not allowing anything under 65%. I try to keep at 75% with shipped eggs because I run dry and most of eggs fluid used to re-collect parts for chicken, so they will need higher humidity. I placed my bator in a spare bathroom away from traffic, which cause air movement and temp fluctuations and thenroom remains dark. The lights will really mess with your numbers and it took me a while to get that. Even an LED flashlight and your body heat if around the bator too long. I also keep my house at 73. Helps humidity remain constant longer. Also on day 18 when I add water, I first turn on shower,
Close bathroom door and allow my hygrometer to read twice as high before I place extra water. This helps me to get incubator stable as I am letting rm humidity rise. On my hygrometer outside of bator measuring outside room and humidity, it is usually twice as much as my incubator runs inside. The shower helps prevent the cold air shock when setting down for lockdown in my bathroom.
Mine usually start their escape around day 19. Because they are still somewhat fragile, I usually make sure humidity stays on higher side because they may not have enough energy to pip and shell will need extra moisture help. My rule... Egg from back yard 65% and shipped 75%
So obviously, since I am a nurse I may be taking this to extremes, but it works for me. I live in humid Florida so humidity not an issue.
How I look at shipped eggs. I really don't care for extra attention and stress from them. I will occasionally by a rare breed egg that can only be shipped by egg so This is how I look at them:
Imagine a glass snow globe with very thin glass like a thermometer that has snow settle at the bottom. I want that snow to stay where its at so I know I cant move too much without disturbing movement in the snow. I want to apply light pressure as to not accidently crack that delicate glass thermometer full of mercury ready to kill me. Or that if it breaks I will be covered in a stink only a skunk can compete with lol. Thats how I handle my eggs. And I never allow the egg to leave its correct upright position while candling.
Unfortunately, shipped eggs are hard and it helped me to really sit down and study the anatomy of an egg. So, obviously there are so many methods because people found what works for them. To do this, you have to go by your environment that you live in. None are wrong if you get results and even God doesn't allow us our choice in the amt of children we have so, I just tell myself, "self, sit your butt down with a book and stop staring and fiddling with eggs." Hands off is my philosophy. Because honestly, you can try and make the perfect environment and it all still go down the drain. Part of a chicken eggs life! Sometimes, thosenlittle things have a mind all there own! Good luck!
Good luck... In the end, you will realize that there is not one surefire method and you may want to incorporate yours or others ideas with yours. It requires hatch practice and shipping eggs are definately a challenge if you need one lol.These are my ideas and they work for where I live.
Start your egg turning and let rhe adventure begin!
Stress:
Vibration .. All the way until lockdown which usually results in death for mine at lockdown.
Rocking back and forth(turning):
really need to sit straight up. After 7 days, check air cells. Most should be reattached. On day 7, if my air cells are holding at top, they get rotated to other side of carton. Those that aren't quite positioned center and have slight movement get placed at the angle in which that air cell moves to be centered. Most by this time are just slightly off say 20-30 degrees so thats what I do minus about 5 degrees so that air cell still has connection to the area it previously shared. I am using gravity and egg white formation as support for that air cell to cradle in. I do 3 rocks a day and no more. I feel it takes that long for the movement I created to settle once again.
Morning, day 7, candle. No twisting, no tilting. I candle under 1 min, thats getting egg, candle, replace.
Lunchtime day 7. Since I now know which eggs still working on getting back together, I now place those certain degree eggs( I never rock back and forth more than 15 degrees) back to the center. The others get their normal back and forth rock but at same degree.
Dinner time: last rock for the day, I take eggs in progress and move back to same side that bubble moving away from again. This creates a small pressure They remain in that position overnight and air cell will be center if you take a picture on day 7 of your eggs as placed with air cell centered to the top so in case you forget where position was at when you first candled air cell that will help.
Note: the air cell will actually be to the side of top, the reason I do this is because the chalazaye is actually little tiny nerves wound in a spiral thread. Thats why u never twist your egg, as if you were turning a dial. There is one at both ends of egg used to hold egg white in place which supports yolk, which supports air cell. If twisted, it will eventually break, especially if you spin only in one direction. If both directions, you tighten and loosen until the chalazaye is severed or at least severly damaged and unable to come back together. The reason I dont do full rocks for days 11-14 on those eggs is because Im trying to get white to thicken and hold to chalazaye. Once the chalazaye has begun to "recoat" and become stronger then they can handle any negative pressure from air cells now going to opposite side if any. You get two times to go in there. Day 7 and day 16 so plan and be ready.
My centered cells. Opposite side once again. I do this for 3 days, at 6,12 and 6. All eggs with their individual "ICU" needs. They need time in between not only for air cells but also to restabilize and small degree helps with less recovery time for them. The stress from shipping uses up the energy the germ had to hatch for gravitational stress so I make sure that they only have to grow minus my curiosity of how they are faring.
We are now on day 11. No candling. The air cell has been giving prime opportunity to slowly form, hopefully avoiding saddle-shaped cells due to lesser degree of lean on egg. By this point, I have given them all the support to rebuild and stabilize
I now slowly center all eggs and then choose a side to start. I rock from the width. Probably doesnt matter. Get it done and get out! Then at lunch, opposite side, still no more than 10-15 degrees.
I do it this way until day 16 where I quit rocking. On this day, I just allow them to get ready and rest. On this day they are almost finished, with little things left like toenails and beak left. I am still on no more than 30% humidity. Same goes for day 17.
Days 18-19. These two days the chick is chugging that egg yolk and it is at this time, my humidity will rise to 75 degrees until they hatch. In the same carton they sat in the entire time. I don't get good hatch rates on shipped eggs lying down. The gravity is still too hard on them. Before I raise humidity, I candle day 18 for internal pip signs, chick position and air cell position, marking the air cell. Under one minute, hands warmed and cleaned. I do before humidity rise because it causes sweating, cooling my internal egg temp and causing my chick to chill and pulling any bacteria in with it. I also use disposable gloves when handling. In my personal experience, sweating at lockdown seems to be enough shock to often kill them. So, If I do not see internal pip, I place back in, largest part of air cell up and begin to watch for external pip.
Day 16 Is my last day to open, period. I watch humidity carefully, not allowing anything under 65%. I try to keep at 75% with shipped eggs because I run dry and most of eggs fluid used to re-collect parts for chicken, so they will need higher humidity. I placed my bator in a spare bathroom away from traffic, which cause air movement and temp fluctuations and thenroom remains dark. The lights will really mess with your numbers and it took me a while to get that. Even an LED flashlight and your body heat if around the bator too long. I also keep my house at 73. Helps humidity remain constant longer. Also on day 18 when I add water, I first turn on shower,
Close bathroom door and allow my hygrometer to read twice as high before I place extra water. This helps me to get incubator stable as I am letting rm humidity rise. On my hygrometer outside of bator measuring outside room and humidity, it is usually twice as much as my incubator runs inside. The shower helps prevent the cold air shock when setting down for lockdown in my bathroom.
Mine usually start their escape around day 19. Because they are still somewhat fragile, I usually make sure humidity stays on higher side because they may not have enough energy to pip and shell will need extra moisture help. My rule... Egg from back yard 65% and shipped 75%
So obviously, since I am a nurse I may be taking this to extremes, but it works for me. I live in humid Florida so humidity not an issue.
How I look at shipped eggs. I really don't care for extra attention and stress from them. I will occasionally by a rare breed egg that can only be shipped by egg so This is how I look at them:
Imagine a glass snow globe with very thin glass like a thermometer that has snow settle at the bottom. I want that snow to stay where its at so I know I cant move too much without disturbing movement in the snow. I want to apply light pressure as to not accidently crack that delicate glass thermometer full of mercury ready to kill me. Or that if it breaks I will be covered in a stink only a skunk can compete with lol. Thats how I handle my eggs. And I never allow the egg to leave its correct upright position while candling.
Unfortunately, shipped eggs are hard and it helped me to really sit down and study the anatomy of an egg. So, obviously there are so many methods because people found what works for them. To do this, you have to go by your environment that you live in. None are wrong if you get results and even God doesn't allow us our choice in the amt of children we have so, I just tell myself, "self, sit your butt down with a book and stop staring and fiddling with eggs." Hands off is my philosophy. Because honestly, you can try and make the perfect environment and it all still go down the drain. Part of a chicken eggs life! Sometimes, thosenlittle things have a mind all there own! Good luck!
Good luck... In the end, you will realize that there is not one surefire method and you may want to incorporate yours or others ideas with yours. It requires hatch practice and shipping eggs are definately a challenge if you need one lol.These are my ideas and they work for where I live.
Start your egg turning and let rhe adventure begin!
Despite what appears to be great development and gorgeously thick veining and active movement, I'm worried my inexperience with shipped eggs has already set them up for failure. I didn't have them perfectly upright the first week -- they were angled. A couple of the air cells are positioned at the top but are saddle-shaped. Blah.
