Air cells

[Anna Leigh]

Hi there, my eggs are at the start of day 14 and I was wondering how big the air cell should be at this point?
The photo below isn't very clear but you can kinda see the air cell. Thank you for your help.

 

[XxMingirlxX]

Hi! I think you should read this article on hatching eggs, it's super informative and should telly you what you need to know :
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Hope that helps : )

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Many of us keep tabs on proper humidity by looking at air cell growth. It's not nearly exacting as weighing eggs to measure moisture weight loss but has the same end result. Knowledge if your humidity is too high or low.

Use the diagram as a general reference and not a hard rule, internal pips happen in that air cell so it needs to be a fair size:

 

[Anna Leigh]

Thank you
Does the air cell always taper down like that?

 

[Rowsdower]

Thank you
Does the air cell always taper down like that?

Not always, but typically. They do not start out that way, it is something that occurs through incubation. The low point is usually the point of pip.

 

[XxMingirlxX]

Thank you
Does the air cell always taper down like that?

They should do, but it changes depending on circumstances, like if the humidity is too high the air cell will be too small, if the humidity is too low the air cell will be too big. And if the eggs have been shipped then you tend to get what is called a saddle air cell.

 

[Anna Leigh]

I'm feeling very frustrated because before I set the eggs I did heaps of reading on various websites and they all suggested a humidity % of between 40-55% for the first 18 days. I joined this site and now I'm being told 20-30%. I'm worried my air sacs will now be too little.

 

[Rowsdower]

Your air cell looks okay to me but if you are concerned, it is only day 14, there's still plenty of time to adjust.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I'm feeling very frustrated because before I set the eggs I did heaps of reading on various websites and they all suggested a humidity % of between 40-55% for the first 18 days. I joined this site and now I'm being told 20-30%. I'm worried my air sacs will now be too little.

I understand your frustration on this issue. Humidity can be a varying thing for different people as they have different incubators different environments different homes. What may work for one person and their incubator may not work for another. For me personaly I find 45% the best average for my incubator and eggs. I check air cells on day 7 if I don't feel they are looking quite right I adjust accordingly. Same again for day 14 candling. I think your air cell looks ok but if you feel it's too small lower the humidity until you next candle.

Wishing you the very of luck and hope you have a great hatch.

 

[Anna Leigh]

Thank you, I feel better now. What do you use to mark the air cell? Are lead pencils okay?