Air cell experiment results

[2txmedics]

Didnt think of that, its very interesting and a good concept to study. That can help alot of chicks when in distress maybe...as you know where to look to help when its time to take some sort of action.

I would love to see what others have to say on this.

 

[FenDruadin]

Thanks for all the responses!! I'm glad the experiment may be helpful to others. I found it fascinating, and I'm especially looking forward to Cherlyn's experience with it.

jenjscott--I think walkswithdog explained it pretty clearly. But here's a pic:

Those concentric circles are the air cell at Day 7, 14, 21, and 25 (One egg is crushed--an accident--the duckling hatched out just fine). The windows in my incubator are in the top, so I placed the eggs in an egg carton with the largest portion of the air cell facing the window closest to the front of the incubator.

Here's another view, where you can see them more or less all facing the same direction:

Does that help? Also in that picture, if you look very close, you can see a few pips on the middle left of the air cell. The one with a hole has actually already begun to zip--but the original pip was all the way at the left (I don't know if you can tell that from the picture).

Cherlyn--I'm going to go look for your new thread. I'm anxious to hear how your experiment turns out.

For anyone else who wants to try, it's not necessary to track the air cell at each candling--just once, right before lockdown, would be sufficient. I tracked them at each candling because I was curious how it would develop--and it was interesting each time to see how it had grown.

Edited to replace repeat photo with the one I meant to post.

 

[NewRIRMom]

Thanks for the photos. I too was a little confused but the photos helped alot. Very interesting.

 

[walkswithdog]

And marking at 14, 17, 18 can usually find late quiters - so sometimes with iffy eggs I start marking. NO aircell growth in two or three days late stage indicates a dead or problem chick...

 

[jenjscott]

Thanks for the explanation and the pictures, they both helped. Now I see that you put the low spot on the aircell toward the front of the incubator. I hatch my eggs on their sides. It might be interesting to do the same thing with the eggs on their side.

 

[FenDruadin]

walkswithdog: Thanks for that info!! I wondered about that--I had two on this last hatch that did not grow the air cell in the last few days. Sure enough, they did not hatch, and sure enough--when I cracked them open they were fully developed. I had one other that didn't hatch, and it was much less developed--not sure why I didn't catch it sooner, nor why its air cell continued to grow. But I'm glad to know that it's fairly consistent--little or no growth means late quitter. Thank you!

jenjscott--I would love to hear how it goes with them on their sides--whether they still pip in the same location, if it's consistent, and what other differences there may be. Please post if you try it!

 

[dancingbear]

I just set a new batch of eggs. I'm going to mark the air cells when I candle, at least the last candle. This is cool, I'll place them so I can see the spot that should pip, for the hatch.

I'll post what results I get. Great experiment, thanks for posting this.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Yep, I just marked the air cells of the ones on lock down. I will let you know!

 

[FenDruadin]

Awesome! I can't wait to hear your results!

 

[Cherlyn]

One has hatched so far, and three others have pipped - all in the same spot relative to the air cell! My air cells are sloped down on one side. Every pip has been just above the lowest point of the air cell. Photos to come up soon!

~Cherlyn