Help! Candling - location of yolk using automatic egg turner.

Hi All,

I could use some advice. Can someone tell me where the yolks should be located in an egg when using an automatic egg turner when incubating? I candled at 3 days (couldn't help it) and all of the yolks are strictly at the fat end with no observable air cell, even if I hold it sideways while candling. *sigh* The yolks are really dark, look a little jiggly and conforming to the shape of the shell and not spherical like I would have expected. Of the 5 eggs, only one looked like there were some veins. The eggs were shipped and looked intact when I got them but the box was badly damaged. I candled the eggs right before putting them in the incubator and I could not see any discernible yolk ... they looked fine. I let them set for 24 hrs before incubating.

Can anyone tell me if this is normal? I am asking because my first hatched under broody hens and they looked very different as the yolks remained in the middle of the egg and the veins were clearly observed (picture perfect like the candling pics found here). Maybe yolks just float to the "top" (i.e., fat end) in automatic egg turners since I put the eggs in, pointy side down ???.

Okay .... okay .... you can tell me the truth ... I can handle it. I think. *sigh* *wringing hands*

Aw shucks, no one answered but I found my answer in a previous thread from 2011! (http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/576956/veining-at-4-days-candling-good-weird-yolk-added-pics). I'm putting the link here for other newbies that are worried about the status of shipped eggs. :) I found that's how they're supposed to look! Whew!!!!

Good luck with your hatches everyone! 

Thanks for responding Walkwithdogs. :) Just your responding made me feel a little better about being such a worrier and that I'm not alone in this. Thank you!