Detached Air Cells?

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Hi, all. I just got some expensive hatching eggs that were shipped horribly. No cracks, but as I candled them before putting them in the incubator, I saw some stuff floating around. Not normal. I am going to assume it was the aircell because:
A) it floats
B) the aircell was not visible.

Please advise. I don't want to worry the seller unless I have to.

 

[ronott1]

The air cell will do that. It will come back together though. A detached air cell is when the white looking string that connects the air cell to the yolk is broken. That acts like an anchor and holds the air cell in place

You an see it here:



Another problem is the scrambling of the yolk in poorly packed eggs(Why is it so hard to get shippers to take responsibility for poorly packed eggs...sorry that is a different topic...).

An egg is a closed system and there is only so much energy in it. Energy(proteins and repair is included here) is needed to recover from the damage. Eggs that are damaged too much, do not have enough energy left to repair the damage and hatch a healthy chick.

The best thing to do is work on getting the best incubation conditions possible.

Make sure the incubator is set at the correct temperature. Use a very good thermometer and hygrometer

keep the incubator in a room that is as stable as possible for temperatures

Try not to jostle the eggs too much for the first 10 days or so.

I am hoping for the best! They can still hatch but detached air cells is in the 25% range. If you get to 50% on shipped eggs you are dong great!

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

The air cell will do that. It will come back together though. A detached air cell is when the white looking string that connects the air cell to the yolk is broken. That acts like an anchor and holds the air cell in place

You an see it here:

View attachment 1184893

Another problem is the scrambling of the yolk in poorly packed eggs(Why is it so hard to get shippers to take responsibility for poorly packed eggs...sorry that is a different topic...).

An egg is a closed system and there is only so much energy in it. Energy(proteins and repair is included here) is needed to recover from the damage. Eggs that are damaged too much, do not have enough energy left to repair the damage and hatch a healthy chick.

The best thing to do is work on getting the best incubation conditions possible.

Make sure the incubator is set at the correct temperature. Use a very good thermometer and hygrometer

keep the incubator in a room that is as stable as possible for temperatures

Try not to jostle the eggs too much for the first 10 days or so.

I am hoping for the best! They can still hatch but detached air cells is in the 25% range. If you get to 50% on shipped eggs you are dong great!

x2

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

The air cell will do that. It will come back together though. A detached air cell is when the white looking string that connects the air cell to the yolk is broken. That acts like an anchor and holds the air cell in place

You an see it here:

View attachment 1184893

Another problem is the scrambling of the yolk in poorly packed eggs(Why is it so hard to get shippers to take responsibility for poorly packed eggs...sorry that is a different topic...).

An egg is a closed system and there is only so much energy in it. Energy(proteins and repair is included here) is needed to recover from the damage. Eggs that are damaged too much, do not have enough energy left to repair the damage and hatch a healthy chick.

The best thing to do is work on getting the best incubation conditions possible.

Make sure the incubator is set at the correct temperature. Use a very good thermometer and hygrometer

keep the incubator in a room that is as stable as possible for temperatures

Try not to jostle the eggs too much for the first 10 days or so.

I am hoping for the best! They can still hatch but detached air cells is in the 25% range. If you get to 50% on shipped eggs you are dong great!

Thank you! It's hard to see stuff in those dark Marans eggs, but I've been watching that incubator like, well, like a mother hen.

I let the eggs sit overnight at room temp pointy end down when I first got them. Then I left the egg turner off for a full 24 hrs. It also keeps the pointy end down. Was that enough for them to reattach?

What about if they don't reattach by hatching time? Should I keep them upright?

 

[ronott1]

Thank you! It's hard to see stuff in those dark Marans eggs, but I've been watching that incubator like, well, like a mother hen.

I let the eggs sit overnight at room temp pointy end down when I first got them. Then I left the egg turner off for a full 24 hrs. It also keeps the pointy end down. Was that enough for them to reattach?

What about if they don't reattach by hatching time? Should I keep them upright?

Some will never re attach but can still hatch. It is best to get the turning going like you did resting(in incubator not turned) for up to three days is ok but turning the eggs is also important.

Improper turning of eggs can cause some eggs to quit at about day 7 to 10 because of veins not forming correctly. It is a low risk though. It is a trade off with shipped eggs so 1 to 2 days without turning is a good way to go.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Most of them have reattached, I think. One is still wobbly, but developing.

 

[ronott1]

Most of them have reattached, I think. One is still wobbly, but developing.

That is good news!

Hoping for a great hatch!