Egg air sac too small

[MoffatChicken]

Hi, This is my first time hatching eggs and there is a lot of conflicting information about the ideal humidity in the incubator, I picked 45%-50%. Yesterday was day 14 and when I candled the eggs the air sac still seemed small, mind you this is my first time looking at air sacs. What do I do to correct this? lower it to 25%-30%? and do i still bring the humidity up to 60%-65% for last 3 days?

Any help for a rookie would be appreciated

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi, This is my first time hatching eggs and there is a lot of conflicting information about the ideal humidity in the incubator, I picked 45%-50%. Yesterday was day 14 and when I candled the eggs the air sac still seemed small, mind you this is my first time looking at air sacs. What do I do to correct this? lower it to 25%-30%? and do i still bring the humidity up to 60%-65% for last 3 days?

Any help for a rookie would be appreciated

If they are real small run dry for a couple days- no water in the bator and check them. Hopefully they will even out before day 18. Yes, you will still need to bring the humidity up for hatch. If at day 18 they are still small you can run dry an extra day and go into lockdown a day later, you can wait until the first to pip or you can go into lockdown as normal on day 18 and hatch upright in cut down cartons and hope that gives you the advantage.
Here's some humidity stuff you might find helpful: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

 

[MoffatChicken]

Thanks for the advice

I have it at about 29%-34% right now (sometimes its dips to 25%) hopefully they will even out.... i guess 50% was too high.... there is so much confusing information regarding humidity

When you say "hatch upright in cut down cartons and hope that gives you the advantage." do you mean egg cartons with the bottoms cut out and leave the air sac end of the egg facing up? I will try to add some pictures showing where they are at tomorrow, day 18

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks for the advice

I have it at about 29%-34% right now (sometimes its dips to 25%) hopefully they will even out.... i guess 50% was too high.... there is so much confusing information regarding humidity

When you say "hatch upright in cut down cartons and hope that gives you the advantage." do you mean egg cartons with the bottoms cut out and leave the air sac end of the egg facing up? I will try to add some pictures showing where they are at tomorrow, day 18

Yes, that's exactly what I mean.

If there is extra moisture in the egg there is a greater chance of that moisture finding it's way into the air cell when the chick internally pips if it is laying on it's side and the chick aspirating on it. If they are upright and pip up into the air cell there is better chance of the extra fluid staying below the air cell, at least until they can make the external pip.

 

[MoffatChicken]

I have my first pip !! and I can hear him/her chirping .... very exciting

Of the 12 I started with 2 didn't make it past day 18 inspection but of the 10 I have left only 1 pip'ed this morning but nothing from the other 9. Can they hatch days apart? or are the others likely to not make it?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have my first pip !! and I can hear him/her chirping .... very exciting

Of the 12 I started with 2 didn't make it past day 18 inspection but of the 10 I have left only 1 pip'ed this morning but nothing from the other 9. Can they hatch days apart? or are the others likely to not make it?

What day are you on? Yes, you can have a hatch spread out, especially if you have multiple cool areas in your bator. Generally you usually see hatches start and finish in a 48 hour window, but occasionally you have hatches that draw out longer.

 

[MoffatChicken]

I started at 5:00 pm on day one.... if you don't include the first day then this day 21 if you do include it than its day 22

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I started at 5:00 pm on day one.... if you don't include the first day then this day 21 if you do include it than its day 22

Day 21. I would expect more by now, but it could just be a delay if your temps were a little low over the average of the incubation.

 

[MoffatChicken]

Well of the 10 that made it past day 18 all 10 hatched!

2 on Saturday evening
2 Saturday overnight
5 on Sunday
and 1 Sunday morning

Takes a lot of patience to wait it all out. One is very weak, I have him separated, he isn't moving much just sleeping a lot so time will tell if he will make it.

Strange when I candled on day 18 the air sacs looked like day 14 but I should have followed the weight as well to double check..... but over all I'm happy with my first try

Thank you for your help !!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Well of the 10 that made it past day 18 all 10 hatched!

2 on Saturday evening
2 Saturday overnight
5 on Sunday
and 1 Sunday morning

Takes a lot of patience to wait it all out. One is very weak, I have him separated, he isn't moving much just sleeping a lot so time will tell if he will make it.

Strange when I candled on day 18 the air sacs looked like day 14 but I should have followed the weight as well to double check..... but over all I'm happy with my first try

Thank you for your help !!

That's great news!! Glad they made it out for you.