Big Air cell differences - why?

[fatcatx]

I am locking down for the first time in my Brinsea and was surprised to find a profound difference in the air cells. Some looked perfect and others looked more like Day 12/14 size. Embryos have developed fine and you can see movement. It wasn’t an age issue as all are marked with the date laid over a 5 day period and I did not see any correlation to the age of the egg. It didn’t seem to be a small egg vs. larger egg issue either.

Anybody have other ideas? I’ve only incubated a few times but I haven’t seen this kind of inconsistency before.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I am locking down for the first time in my Brinsea and was surprised to find a profound difference in the air cells. Some looked perfect and others looked more like Day 12/14 size. Embryos have developed fine and you can see movement. It wasn’t an age issue as all are marked with the date laid over a 5 day period and I did not see any correlation to the age of the egg. It didn’t seem to be a small egg vs. larger egg issue either.

Anybody have other ideas? I’ve only incubated a few times but I haven’t seen this kind of inconsistency before.

Porosity/egg shell quality is one of the biggest factors (outside of humidity) that will effect moisture loss and air cell growth. The eggs with the smaller air cells may have less porosity, thicker shells or darker pigmentation, preventing the moisture loss at the same rate as others. I would note if any or all are from the same hen, the porosity when candling, or light versus dark shells and shell thickness.

 

[fatcatx]

Thank you Amy! That makes complete sense. I know some of them were not as clear on candling so I bet those are the ones with the small cells. (Now I'm itching to take them out and check but I can't!)

Does anyone have strategies for compensating for this? I don't set eggs with very porous shells but never thought to weed out the ones with thick shells as well. Do most people set them and just hope for the best?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thank you Amy! That makes complete sense. I know some of them were not as clear on candling so I bet those are the ones with the small cells. (Now I'm itching to take them out and check but I can't!)

Does anyone have strategies for compensating for this? I don't set eggs with very porous shells but never thought to weed out the ones with thick shells as well. Do most people set them and just hope for the best?

I know with my green eggs, because they have thicker shells and loose weight slower than my others, I now do them by themselves. All my others I set together and usually they do well.

 

[fatcatx]

My alarm this morning was the happy sound of cheeping. Despite poor air cell size, first egg just hatched! One other pipped.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

My alarm this morning was the happy sound of cheeping. Despite poor air cell size, first egg just hatched! One other pipped.

Yay!!! Congrats!!

 

[fatcatx]

#2 is out and 5 others have pipped!I am so relieved! Thank you for the help (current and past)! :-D

 

[AmyLynn2374]

#2 is out and 5 others have pipped!I am so relieved! Thank you for the help (current and past)! :-D

That's great! Congrats!