Air cell way to small for day 16? Pictures

[TexasHeifer]

This egg is at day 16 and this air cell seems really small to me? I couldn't get a good picture when I candled it so I outlined it instead. My incubator's been at around 40-45% humidity. Should I drop the humidity to around 30% before lockdown or is that to close to do any good?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi yes the air cell does look too small for day 16. I would def lower the humidity and possibly keep it lower untill the end of day 19 possibly 20. Or if you see an early pip put it up then. I'm not sure why this would have happened if you have had 40-45%.
Humidity should be the average over the incubation period so maybe the average has just been a little too high. Are your other eggs ok? Maybe this one has an extra hard shell which would explain why moisture would not have been able to evaporate.

 

[TexasHeifer]

All the eggs look like this except for one quail egg. The quail egg looks normal with a big air cell. The incubator has stayed steady between 40-45% for 15 out of the 16 days. One day during the 16 days I wasn't at home for most of the day and when I came back it was at 54%. I took some water out and it dropped to around 34%. I let it sit there for a little while thinking the eggs had probably soaked up more water they should have. After a little while added water till it hit 40% and left it at that. The egg shells are very hard, my hens definitely aren't missing any calcium lol.

 

[TexasHeifer]

That one day it was at 54% was early, around day 7 I think?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Small changes shouldn't be a problem it is the average. I really do think that it's because your shells are hard and enough hasn't been lost through them. Keeping it down now should help and hopefully they will be able to pip ok. Good luck.

 

[TexasHeifer]

Small changes shouldn't be a problem it is the average. I really do think that it's because your shells are hard and enough hasn't been lost through them. Keeping it down now should help and hopefully they will be able to pip ok. Good luck.

Thank you for the help! I'll keep this post updated on how it all goes as they get closer to hatching.

 

[TexasHeifer]

First of the 6 chicks hatched last night. It died not even 10 minutes after hatching out. This is the first of the other 5 that hatched without a problem! The other 4 have all piped!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Sorry to hear about your first chick dying. But congratulations on your hatched ones, good luck with them

 

[Aphrael]

First of the 6 chicks hatched last night. It died not even 10 minutes after hatching out. This is the first of the other 5 that hatched without a problem! The other 4 have all piped!

Congrats! That little one is adorable.

So sorry you lost the first one.

 

[TexasHeifer]

All 4 hatched! 3 silkie x EE crosses and 1 cochin x EE cross! The solid yellow chick in the middle of the 4th photo was rejected by one of my hens this morning so I have it with the other chicks. One proud momma here!