Air Sac in Shipped Eggs

[TexasLady]

I was so happy to get eggs from one of the members here (don't know if I should use names). I had an incubator problem, and it was keeping one level at 106 and the other at 99 (which I didn't know until I couldn't figure out why that level had no good eggs). (It never occurred to me that different levels of the same box would be so divergent.) A wonderful person on this forum was willing to send me some more eggs out of the kindness of her heart. (I already love this forum and the folks here.)

Anyway, I got the eggs today. I've seen a lot of comments about the air sac, and I've seen all types, but I was wondering if there was a rule about them that says "some won't hatch ever."

Two of the eggs came with air sacs that will go all the way from top to bottom and all the way around the egg. Are these worth hatching?

Two more came with air sacs that seem to move around the top of the egg (where they should be), but when they move, they move in lurches--lurching from one place to the next (still in the right area at the large end of the egg) as they go all the way around the egg. Will these hatch?

The rest all look very sound and solid with yolks that seem settled down at the pointed end (so they're probably ready to put in the incubator0.

I thought I'd put them all in and see how they went. But I was curious what your experience is with these eggs "problems" from shipping.

While I'm on the subject, do you rest the eggs for 24 hours or 12 or 3 or 4? I've seen all kinds of opinions on this, and I don't think anything is settled on it.

Thanks!

 

[yinepu]

go ahead and set all of them.. i've had shipped eggs with whipped air cells (full of little bubbles) as well as loose air cells hatch just fine.. just be sure to incubate them with the large end up to minimize the air cell moving around when turned (in other words do not incubate them on their side)

I've tried letting shipped eggs "rest" for 12 hours on up to 48 hours and have seen no difference in hatch rates (so letting them rest is a personal decision you need to make).. so long as they are at room temp I go ahead and set them

 

[TexasLady]

Thanks. I just seem to be a non-hen. In a former life, I might have been a predator (with as much success as I have with hatching!)

If anyone can do it wrong, I seem to be able to.

 

[Lacrystol]

I have had a hard time hatching a loose air cell but I have one actually make it up to lockdown. I find that if you sit them up without moving them in the incubator for 5 to 7 days it gives the air cell a good chance to set. Once they set you can turn as normal, But loose air cells is my worst night mare.. My PO is sooo rough when it comes to eggs.. I don't think they can read things like "handle with care", This end up, FRAGILE". they just don't care it's like a Jim Carry movie "pet detective"..

 

[Christie Rhae]

You just never know. I would set all the eggs if it was me. Chances are the loose air cell eggs will not hatch but if you got the room toss them in the incubator. Stranger things have happened.

I have incubated countless batches of shipped eggs. It is a heartbreaking adventure. Keep trying and eventually you will get some. Then when you incubate eggs from your own backyard you will realize you are actually an excellent egg hatcher.. it is just those shipped eggs that are so difficult to hatch.

 

[TexasLady]

I'm going to try them. I don't see any sense in throwing them out when I have the room.

I do know that they are likely to be harder. I can't "stand them" in the incubator since there is really no place for me to do that. I guess, however, I could stand them at the top where the water is. Not a bad idea really.

I might try that. I did put them in last night, so I will have to find them and try that. Do the chicks stick then?

 

[Christie Rhae]

I'm going to try them. I don't see any sense in throwing them out when I have the room.

I do know that they are likely to be harder. I can't "stand them" in the incubator since there is really no place for me to do that. I guess, however, I could stand them at the top where the water is. Not a bad idea really.

I might try that. I did put them in last night, so I will have to find them and try that. Do the chicks stick then?

I have tried incubating them for 7 days without turning. I turned off the egg turners. If you are not using egg turners you could cut down some paper egg cartons and stand them in those for a few days. After that though you probably do need to turn them like normal or the chicks probably would stick.

 

[yinepu]

so long as the air cell is in the end where it belongs the egg stands a good chance of hatching.. it's more important that the yolk didn't get scrambled.. if that happened then the egg would be a loss... but I've had a bunch of the eggs with badly damaged air cells hatch just fine.. so in my experience air cell damage doesn't matter all that much so long as you keep the large end up and keep it from migrating if possible

 

[Lacrystol]

I have two eggs with loose air cells, I have them standing up I will try to get them to hatch but in the past I haven't had any luck, hopefully my luck will turn around this time...