Shipped eggs and upright hatching.

[ABakes09]

Okay I know there is a lot of information out there on this subject and I’ve been researching for nearly 2 days. Here’s my current situation. Shipped eggs. In transit less than 24 hours. When eggs arrived they were less that 36 hours old. I’ve let them rest for 24hours (actually a little more). Some have tiny air cells at the fat end that are solid. Some are loose, a couple float around, and a couple I couldn’t even see an air cell (maybe because they were so fresh??) so here’s my question(s). The loose air cells eggs I plant to incubate upright in egg cartons (paper or foam??), no tilting or turning for at least 7 days then recheck??? If they are good should I lay flat and let the auto turner do it’s thing or should I keep upright to hatch to be safe???

The eggs that had a good air cell—should I incubate them initially upright to be on the safe side?? So I tilt/turn this or let them res upright for. 3 days?? 7 days??? Then if they are still good at day 7 candle should I lay flat? Or keep all upright??

I know lots of question marks. Any advice or experience is appreciated. Going into the incubator today.

 

[ABakes09]

A little update for those that are interested. We are on day 7. I candled today and have 13/24 with movement and stable air cells. I have another 5 with veining and slightly loose air cells, 4 yolkers, 1 completely detached air cell that never developed, and 1 with a possible blood ring. I candled at day 3 and moved all eggs with stable air cells to one incubator to lay flat and used the auto turner. The other half are still upright. I am currently propping up the entire incubator to “turn” them.

 

[ABakes09]

It’s hatch day. So far I have two babies. One. Was a flat hatch and one was an upright hatch with a saddled air cell. 2more pips already.

 

[Chookwagn]

If this was me I would...

Incubate the whole lot pointy end down for the first 7 days... I would still turn them at least 3 times a day but maybe not so far angle wise.

Cardboard or foam carton... don't think it would make a lot of difference unless the cardboard got wet

The air cells should settle enough in the first 7 days to be able to put them all in your regular turner for the rest of the hatch

Hope that makes sense

 

[ABakes09]

Day 10 I candled again and removed 7 eggs. I had 5 yolkers and 2 quitters. 16 eggs had movement and 1 was a questionable dark egg. It stayed. I laid the rest of the eggs down and turned on the auto turner. I do have several with saddled air cells but they are all mostly stable now. I’m not checking again until lockdown day. So my question would be…..for the saddled air cell eggs should I hatch those upright? Or lay flat?

 

[ABakes09]

Is there a way you can tilt them from side to side a bit without tipping them over? Or maybe jack one side up of each pair of eggs? Then just swap it to the other end for each turning.

Yep that’s why I have the numbers so I can tilt them and know which side to go to. But I was going to let them be still for at least 3 days. From most of the info I’ve seen on shipped eggs this helps the air cells

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Day 10 I candled again and removed 7 eggs. I had 5 yolkers and 2 quitters. 16 eggs had movement and 1 was a questionable dark egg. It stayed. I laid the rest of the eggs down and turned on the auto turner. I do have several with saddled air cells but they are all mostly stable now. I’m not checking again until lockdown day. So my question would be…..for the saddled air cell eggs should I hatch those upright? Or lay flat?

I personally hatch my saddled eggs upright. There’s a lot of debate about this and everybody has their own preference. If you want to hatch them upright, then do it in the egg cartons at an angle with the largest part of the air cell facing upward. You’ll have to keep a close eye on them to see where they pip.
I found this photo of one of mine from about a year ago. Important that the PIP is where you can see it and does not get occluded by the egg carton.
As you can see it is pipping within the saddled part of the air cell. I drew a dotted line for where the air cell should have been.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Oh perfect. Thanks for that picture. I think I’ve decided to do this as well for my saddled air cells. Do you incubate them upright the entire time for lay them flat? If flat, when do you stand them back up in the cartons? I know at lockdown, but I’ve also read to stop turning shipped eggs earlier (maybe day 16) so the chicks can get situated. What is your process?

Sorry didn’t see this until just now! I see though that you figured it out!
To answer your question I usually stop turning all my eggs at day 17. Shipped or not.
If the air cell has stabilized I will go ahead and let them incubate flat so they can go in the turner. I will then hatch them upright. Obviously there’s many different ways to do this.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Congratulations on your babies!
You did it!

 

[ABakes09]

We ended up with 9 babies!!! That are the cutest.

4 that haven’t hatched. 2 upright/2 flat (to hatch)
2 Pipped at the wrong end and died in the shell (1 upright/1 flat)
So it’s hard to say which method worked best for this hatched. I definitely think the upright hatching was needed and helped several of them.