Day 20 and HUGE Air Cells

[hokankai]

I had eggs due the 8th and 10th. Well I needed to care for one of the chicks, so while I was in the steamy bathroom (humidity was 85% in the bathroom) I candled the eggs due tomorrow and found that all but 1 had HUGE air cells, like half the egg. I saw movement within the aircells, like the chicks were kicking around in there and all were moving, but is this going to cause a problem? They've been in 70+% humidity since the older eggs went into lockdown and the eggs continued to lose water. Are these chicks going to be shrink-wrapped? The air cell membrane is so low that I can see the contours of the chicks' bodies.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I hope they won't be shrink wrapped. sounds like they are just drying up their yolk and stuff and will be headed for the air cell soon. when they expand themselves, they will pierce the wrapper and should be able to breathe.
3 of mine are in their air cell and shrank down before entering.

 

[hokankai]

Yeah I can see them in the air cell, I'm pretty sure I saw a foot scratching the shell...hahaha.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I can see beaks in mine. but they are going to do their own heavy lifting and peck their own way out!

 

[hokankai]

Just wanted to share that, ironically, the chicks with the largest air cells were the ones that hatched that FASTEST. They probably lost about 20% of their original weight too. One of them did need help because he started flipping upside down when he was zipping. 4/5 hatched, and the one that didn't hatch had the smallest air cell and the chick was malpositioned.

 

[gimmie birdies]

you are right. big air cells mean all their fluids they need to survive after the hatch are used. my six chicks hatched the one with the smallest air cell didn't make it after the hatch, and was the last to hatch day 23. anyway after she hatched her belly button was an outtie with just the 2 cords hanging on to the bottom shell she kept trying to kick off. she had struggled for a while and woke me up at 2am to tell me about it. I took off the shell leaving the white membrane and what the cords connected too. put her in a sock so other chicks would not peck and went back to bed. Normally if this is the case and the chick is stressed I get a heat packet, or a heated rice bag for the chick and really let her know I care by giving little back rubs and stuff. (I have brought them back from the brink this way. It gives them something to live for.) but last night I just went back to bed. By the morning she had crawled out of the sock and died.

The other chicks are doing well! up and playing with the 5 day old chicks that were store bought.