Air cells

[Yorkshire Coop]

Of course it's not a stupid question. If you don't ask you don't know. For me with wonky air sacs I would hatch the egg in a cut down egg carton. This is how I started using the egg carton method because of wonky air sacs. I cut down the cartons so they are quite shallow but still enough to support the egg in an upright position. This way the egg can't be knocked around by other chicks that have hatched you should also be able to see where it has pipped better too.

Sally sunshine has an excellent section in this article all about saddle air sacs in this link https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Good luck

 

[Anna Leigh]

I'm now halfway through day 16 and my air cells don't look small but they don't look big like the diagram says they should be. I was going to put them into lock down early at day 17 because they are bantams.. should I just stop turning them at day 17 but keep humidity low until day 18? Getting nervous as it's my first time...

 

[WalnutHill]

Air cells progress rapidly from day 14 to day 17. If you were on target at day 10 and 14, then you should be fine. I find that day 17/18 on a 21 day incubation is where they are ready for hatching.

 

[Anna Leigh]

Okay thanks. Also, is it really bad for the humidity to drop as low at 10%.
My humidity dropped that low overnight and the hydrometer is saying that it got as low as 7% at one point.

 

[WalnutHill]

It's not good, but if they haven't pipped they should be okay. Get the humidity up and keep it up. Where are you that it is so dry?

 

[Anna Leigh]

I live in Australia.
the humidity is frustrating me because when the incubator runs dry it's too low but when I add a tiny little dribble of water it sky rockets to 50%

 

[WalnutHill]

I would retest your instruments after this incubation is finished. But if I had to choose between 10 and 50, I'd choose the 50.

 

[Anna Leigh]

So I've remarked the air cells 2 days later (I'm now at the very start of day 17) and my 6 columbian pekin eggs seem to have smaller air cells than the 7 frizzle x silkies. How do these air cells look to you?

 

[WalnutHill]

They are still growing and have started to tilt, so I would say they are in good shape.

 

[Rowsdower]

Not too shabby.