Day 18, Air Cell Too Small - HELP!

[Fairview01]

I have an egg which is at the end of day 18 but the air cell is much too small.

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It looks more like the size for the 14th day. I'm entering lockdown late and keeping the humidity as low as possible so the air cell has a chance to grow before the internal pip. I've candled the egg and there's no internal pip as of yet but it's very dark in there and I swear I saw the egg move in the incubator once.

Is there anything else I can do and will this chick hatch without drowning?

I've just done this, the air cell side is now a bit more elevated. I followed the incubator manual and kept the humidity at 60-65%, I suppose that was much too high. :/

I didn't see this earlier. Using aircell progression during incubation is the best indicator of how to adjust humidity. That then becomes your humidity meter and the one that came with the incubator and the instructions in the manual are ignored.

If on the seventh day the aircell is too large humidity is increased. If it's too small.any water in the incubator is removed and vents should be opened. Same on the 14th day. By the 18th day any humidity adjustment will have virtually no effect on the aircell size.

I set for hatching on day 19. Sometimes I jack my day count and have taken them out of the rocker after a good number have already externally pipped. It just happens with me. High humidity during the hatching process will not drown a chick. Humidity is moisture in the air. High humidity during hatching tends to soften the egg shell and prevents the inner membrane from becoming a sheet of rubber around the chick.

During the hatching process the chicks generate a lot of heat getting out of the shell. A temp spike at this time could be a fatal problem.

Good luck.

 

[Deo]

Hatch vertically by setting egg in a carton without the lid on. Yeah I know that's not natural but once the eggs are being incubated by something other than a broody the eggs are in an artificial environment. All the rules dont have to apply all the time.

I didn't see this earlier. Using aircell progression during incubation is the best indicator of how to adjust humidity. That then becomes your humidity meter and the one that came with the incubator and the instructions in the manual are ignored.

If on the seventh day the aircell is too large humidity is increased. If it's too small.any water in the incubator is removed and vents should be opened. Same on the 14th day. By the 18th day any humidity adjustment will have virtually no effect on the aircell size.

I set for hatching on day 19. Sometimes I jack my day count and have taken them out of the rocker after a good number have already externally pipped. It just happens with me. High humidity during the hatching process will not drown a chick. Humidity is moisture in the air. High humidity during hatching tends to soften the egg shell and prevents the inner membrane from becoming a sheet of rubber around the chick.

During the hatching process the chicks generate a lot of heat getting out of the shell. A temp spike at this time could be a fatal problem.

Good luck.

To be safe rather than sorry, I elevated the air cell end a bit more. Hopefully that’s enough to keep the fluid away from the beak. It grew ever so slightly since I took all the water out and I’m entering lockdown now. I’m seeing movement when I set the egg down, but not when candling. It is now the end of day 19 and there’s still no internal pip. Praying everything goes well for this little guy.

 

[Fairview01]

To be safe rather than sorry, I elevated the air cell end a bit more. Hopefully that’s enough to keep the fluid away from the beak. It grew ever so slightly since I took all the water out and I’m entering lockdown now. I’m seeing movement when I set the egg down, but not when candling. It is now the end of day 19 and there’s still no internal pip. Praying everything goes well for this little guy.

Went out and checked the incubator. I use an old Leahy redwood cabinet incubator. Pulled out the bottom drawer and Yup, once again they beat me. Had a bunch pipped and one about 1/2 zip on the shell. Time to add some water I guess. Filled pan and hit the wood with the spritzer. I'll take a pic later today so you can see vertical hatching.

 

[jolenesdad]

Air cells are so confusing. Success from hatching an “off” air cell has so many factors from breed to size of the egg, etc.

Last hatch, I had eggs that lost 20% weight BEFORE lockdown that hatched. I also had eggs with 8-10% loss that hatched.

Is it just this egg that is off? If so, I’d feel even more comfortable like this egg was just doing his thing....

Best of luck!!!

 

[Deo]

Air cells are so confusing. Success from hatching an “off” air cell has so many factors from breed to size of the egg, etc.

Last hatch, I had eggs that lost 20% weight BEFORE lockdown that hatched. I also had eggs with 8-10% loss that hatched.

Is it just this egg that is off? If so, I’d feel even more comfortable like this egg was just doing his thing....

Best of luck!!!

I like to follow existing guidelines and I PANICKED when the air cell didn’t match the size for day 18. I think they are a little more resilient than we give them credit for but it’s hard not to worry.

Went out and checked the incubator. I use an old Leahy redwood cabinet incubator. Pulled out the bottom drawer and Yup, once again they beat me. Had a bunch pipped and one about 1/2 zip on the shell. Time to add some water I guess. Filled pan and hit the wood with the spritzer. I'll take a pic later today so you can see vertical hatching.

Hope the rest make it out okay! Mine still haven’t internally pipped, is it supposed to be on day 19 or well into day 20? It’s a standard Light Sussex x New Hampshire cross so I was thinking it might take a bit longer because the breeds are large yet I can’t help but worry!

 

[jolenesdad]

Hatch times can be all over the place, 21 days is a guide! So much has to do with your personal al environment. (This is why you typically want to monitor your cells and make your own humidity adjustments.)

Commit yourself to the grand scheme of learning... its a process and you’ll get better and know what to expect more each time!

 

[julskinka]

Generally, it's internal pip on D19, external pip D20, zip D21. But that's just a rough guideline, and it's possible to have the total of a clutch hatch out over several days.

I like to weigh and check air cells, so I get a more holistic view of how the egg is doing. Sometimes the aircell looks ginormous but the weight's right on track, and vice versa. Unless I see both as being outside the bellcurve, I don't fret too much.

If your chick still hasn't externally pipped by Day 22 (or once everyone else has), you can candle for movement. If it's alive, but hasn't internally pipped, it is possible to rescue a sticky chick, but it's a delicate process. (I had a bunch of these last year because I couldn't get my humidity down). Keep us updated.

 

[Fairview01]

To check for internal pips just hold the egg up to your ear and tap it a few times and you'll hear them sound off. Check several thos way. Sometimes more than a few times if they are sleeping.

Satisfies my curiosity and I can do it right at the incubator, middle of the day and dont need anything else.

Generally, it's internal pip on D19, external pip D20, zip D21. But that's just a rough guideline, and it's possible to have the total of a clutch hatch out over several days.

I like to weigh and check air cells, so I get a more holistic view of how the egg is doing. Sometimes the aircell looks ginormous but the weight's right on track, and vice versa. Unless I see both as being outside the bellcurve, I don't fret too much.

Do you weigh all your eggs? A normal hatch for me is 40+ eggs. I can't imagine taking the time to weigh them all 2xs or more.

At times when production is slow I'll store eggs up to 2 weeks before setting them in the incubator. I just grab a few of the oldest eggs and check at the 7 and 14 day intervals and adjust the humidity in relation to their air cells for the entire batch. By the time they hatch those earliest eggs have had 6 weeks of aircell growth.

 

[Deo]

Generally, it's internal pip on D19, external pip D20, zip D21. But that's just a rough guideline, and it's possible to have the total of a clutch hatch out over several days.

I like to weigh and check air cells, so I get a more holistic view of how the egg is doing. Sometimes the aircell looks ginormous but the weight's right on track, and vice versa. Unless I see both as being outside the bellcurve, I don't fret too much.

If your chick still hasn't externally pipped by Day 22 (or once everyone else has), you can candle for movement. If it's alive, but hasn't internally pipped, it is possible to rescue a sticky chick, but it's a delicate process. (I had a bunch of these last year because I couldn't get my humidity down). Keep us updated.

To check for internal pips just hold the egg up to your ear and tap it a few times and you'll hear them sound off. Check several thos way. Sometimes more than a few times if they are sleeping.

Satisfies my curiosity and I can do it right at the incubator, middle of the day and dont need anything else.


Do you weigh all your eggs? A normal hatch for me is 40+ eggs. I can't imagine taking the time to weigh them all 2xs or more.

At times when production is slow I'll store eggs up to 2 weeks before setting them in the incubator. I just grab a few of the oldest eggs and check at the 7 and 14 day intervals and adjust the humidity in relation to their air cells for the entire batch. By the time they hatch those earliest eggs have had 6 weeks of aircell growth.

Definitely keeping weight in mind for the next hatch. It still hasn’t internally pipped and it’s the beginning of the 20th day. Getting a bit worried now.

 

[julskinka]

To check for internal pips just hold the egg up to your ear and tap it a few times and you'll hear them sound off. Check several thos way. Sometimes more than a few times if they are sleeping.

Satisfies my curiosity and I can do it right at the incubator, middle of the day and dont need anything else.

This is definitely the best way to check while everything's still going on - I would only recommend candling if OP thinks the time may have come to intervene, like if they suspect the chick has failed to pip into the air cell at all.

Do you weigh all your eggs? A normal hatch for me is 40+ eggs. I can't imagine taking the time to weigh them all 2xs or more.

I do, but I hatch 25 or fewer at a time, and I'm also a science nerd so I really get enjoyment out of the process. It works for me, but I get that it's not the right answer for everyone.