Air sac on side day 14 candle

[buttersbrood]

Hi all, I just candled our 6 bantam eggs, it’s day 14. One of them has its air sac on the side, not the bottom? The chick is moving around in there.

These are not shipped eggs, and all the other eggs look fine. They’re under our broody pekin bantam.

I’ve put the egg back under the hen, but am just wondering: does this chick have a chance to make it & hatch?

Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks so much!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Yes, it does. Sometimes air cells just seem to end up in the wrong place, even without shipping stress. I've incubated a few like this (it happens rarely in my flock) and I just keep a close eye on the chick's position at lockdown in case it pips away from the air cell and needs assistance.

Not all chicks do need help - some will simply pip all the way through the membrane and shell and bypass the air cell oxygen reservoir.

Since a broody's incubating the egg, you probably won't be able to candle it in the few days before hatch, so hopefully the chick will pip right through the shell or into the air cell at hatch. Best of luck!

 

[buttersbrood]

Thank you so much for your heartening reply FoodFreedomNow ! Made me feel much better.

Do you mean it might need assistance if it pips away from the air cell and straight out, bypassing the air cell? That would be good? Just wondering what you mean, so I can look out for it and try help if necessary.

Also, when candling the egg at lockdown like you say, what do I look out for? It gets so dark in there, it’s hard to see. Would I be looking for the chicks position? What position should it be in ideally?

Thanks so much again, I really appreciate your help @FoodFreedomNow

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

It's possible the chick may need assistance whether it pips all the way through the shell instead of the air cell or right into the air cell, but you won't know until you can see what kind of progress it's making to inform next steps. Another possibility is that the chick may do either and then be able to fully hatch by itself, too.

I hope the chick will hatch by itself, but this guide to assisted hatching by Pyxis may come in handy (I'd read it in advance). Malpositions are also addressed in the guide.

At hatch, the chick's beak should be in the air cell, an internal pip. This Pyxis article (scroll down) has a great photo of what that should look like. Because of the unusual air cell location, though, the chick may miss it and try to go all the way through the egg. If it gets all the way through, that's good because it will have reached air; if it doesn't, it will need help so it doesn't run out of air.

Again, this may be "much ado about nothing" (meaning the chick hatches just fine), but I like to be prepared just in case.

 

[buttersbrood]

Thank you so much for your reply and help! I understand what you’re saying now re the pipping, I’ll just keep an eye on once they’re due to hatch in about 3/4 days. I read the assisted hatching article too, it’s really great, super informative.

I feel SO much better equipped in case I do need to step in. Fingers crossed I don’t though, but it’s always better to be well prepared! I’m gunning for this little one

Thanks a lot @FoodFreedomNow

 

[buttersbrood]

This morning I heard the chick cheeping inside the egg! Very briefly candled it, and it looks like is popped the air cell!

Exciting!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

This morning I heard the chick cheeping inside the egg! Very briefly candled it, and it looks like is popped the air cell!

Exciting!

That's great! Hope the rest of the hatching process goes smoothly and we see that chick soon.

 

[buttersbrood]

The chick has now pipped through the outside of the egg! Good progress. I'm feeling hopeful that it will all work out.

 

[buttersbrood]

The chick hatched! (Alongside 2 more little black/brown bantam chicks). So gorgeous! Still waiting on another 2, but just to let you know, the chick with the air bubble on the side hatched.

Cheeping away and/or sleeping happily under mum.
Thanks for your help!

 

[buttersbrood]

The chick hatched! (Alongside 2 more little black/brown bantam chicks). So gorgeous! Still waiting on another 2, but just to let you know, the chick with the air bubble on the side hatched.

Cheeping away and/or sleeping happily under mum.
Thanks for your help!