Diary & Notes ~ Air Cell Detatched SHIPPED Chicken Eggs for incubation and hatching

[kodster]

Hi I have a question that I thought someone on this thread could answer can you tell how old a egg is by the air cell. The ones from my chickens are small like dime.size and then I got some that the air cells are larger like quarter or larger, does that mean they are old? Thanks for any info on this

The larger the air cell, the older the egg is.

 

[grannychicken54]

The larger the air cell, the older the egg is.

okay that's what I thought so how long are they viable and I understand shipping adds time but even at that the air cell should not be that large .

 

[chickadoodles]

Day(well night really) 6 & I see veining in all but 2/12 eggs YAY!! Maybe ill actually get some lttle fluffballs this time

YAY

 

[ozexpat]

okay that's what I thought so how long are they viable and I understand shipping adds time but even at that the air cell should not be that large .

From the MSU website

Eggs saved for hatching are very perishable and their viability is greatly affected by the quality of storage conditions. If properly stored, the number of hatching failures can be kept to a minimum. It is recommended that most eggs be stored no longer than 1 week. Storing eggs longer will produce a greater incidence of hatching failures.
The maximum storage period for chickens is about 3 weeks. Some turkey eggs will survive for 4 weeks, but quail will have difficulty developing from eggs stored longer than 2 weeks.
Hatching eggs should be collected soon after lay and maintained at 50-65o F. The eggs must not warm to above 65o F. unless they are being prepared for immediate incubation. Relative humidity in the storage facility should be maintained at 70 percent and daily egg turning or repositioning is recommended to prevent the yolk from sticking to the inside surface of the shell.


Its a good idea to ask the seller how many hens of the breed you are buying does the seller have.

If you are buying a dozen eggs with 3 hens the eggs are atleast 7-8 days old when you get them. Most of that time they also wont be at 50-65F either.

What can you do but throw them into the incubator and give them a try.

 

[kodster]

okay that's what I thought so how long are they viable and I understand shipping adds time but even at that the air cell should not be that large .

It depends on a lot of things to determine how viable they are. Temps that they're being held at (ideally, 55-60 deg F, in cool, dark location), if they're being turned at least once a day... but on average, when you're getting to 10 days, it starts to decrease substantially. By the time they get to 30 days... likelihood is that you will have a zero hatch. But it has been known to happen at 30 days! But that's why you should pay attention to when the seller says they collect eggs, and when they ship, so you know approximately how old the eggs are when collected, and the timing of the number of days in shipment. That's going to be critical as to your viability level.

The air cells also show the level of evaporation that is going on in the egg... the more porous the shell, the more loss you'll have. Also determine the humidity level... the higher the humidity, the less moisture loss in the egg... the lower the humidity, the more loss. That's why it's recommended to weigh, or candle and mark the air cells with a pencil on the outside of the egg, so you can track the moisture loss... ideally, 13-14% loss for the entire hatch is recommended. With shipped eggs, the humidity level will be lower in shipping (especially if they travel on a plane, because of the lower humidity in the cabin air, as well as the possibility of damaged air cells due to cabin pressure).

If the air cells and yokes look intact, and the shells look good, go ahead and set them! You're comparing them to your own eggs, which, naturally, are the freshest. You will probably be surprised in 21 days!

 

[3Dchicken]

It has been a while since I have been on byc and I just wanted to say Hope is all recovered from her head wound and is in the coop again!She took about a month to get the hole in her head to heal up nicely. There is now just a bare scaly patch of skin that is relatively small and a bump that sticks up with feathers on it. I will post pics later. Right now I am on my sisters tablet and it is quite irritating to type on.

 

[grannychicken54]

From the MSU website

Eggs saved for hatching are very perishable and their viability is greatly affected by the quality of storage conditions. If properly stored, the number of hatching failures can be kept to a minimum. It is recommended that most eggs be stored no longer than 1 week. Storing eggs longer will produce a greater incidence of hatching failures.
The maximum storage period for chickens is about 3 weeks. Some turkey eggs will survive for 4 weeks, but quail will have difficulty developing from eggs stored longer than 2 weeks.
Hatching eggs should be collected soon after lay and maintained at 50-65o F. The eggs must not warm to above 65o F. unless they are being prepared for immediate incubation. Relative humidity in the storage facility should be maintained at 70 percent and daily egg turning or repositioning is recommended to prevent the yolk from sticking to the inside surface of the shell.


Its a good idea to ask the seller how many hens of the breed you are buying does the seller have.

If you are buying a dozen eggs with 3 hens the eggs are atleast 7-8 days old when you get them. Most of that time they also wont be at 50-65F either.

What can you do but throw them into the incubator and give them a try.

Thanks I did put them in the incubator nothing to lose hoping I get some to hatch.

 

[grannychicken54]

It depends on a lot of things to determine how viable they are. Temps that they're being held at (ideally, 55-60 deg F, in cool, dark location), if they're being turned at least once a day... but on average, when you're getting to 10 days, it starts to decrease substantially. By the time they get to 30 days... likelihood is that you will have a zero hatch. But it has been known to happen at 30 days! But that's why you should pay attention to when the seller says they collect eggs, and when they ship, so you know approximately how old the eggs are when collected, and the timing of the number of days in shipment. That's going to be critical as to your viability level.

The air cells also show the level of evaporation that is going on in the egg... the more porous the shell, the more loss you'll have. Also determine the humidity level... the higher the humidity, the less moisture loss in the egg... the lower the humidity, the more loss. That's why it's recommended to weigh, or candle and mark the air cells with a pencil on the outside of the egg, so you can track the moisture loss... ideally, 13-14% loss for the entire hatch is recommended. With shipped eggs, the humidity level will be lower in shipping (especially if they travel on a plane, because of the lower humidity in the cabin air, as well as the possibility of damaged air cells due to cabin pressure).

If the air cells and yokes look intact, and the shells look good, go ahead and set them! You're comparing them to your own eggs, which, naturally, are the freshest. You will probably be surprised in 21 days!

Thanks for the info I am trying them hoping for a few anyway

 

[kodster]

Thanks for the info I am trying them hoping for a few anyway

Keep us updated on their progress! We're here to help you in any way we can! Good luck!

 

[3Dchicken]

***Gruesome pictures***
I can't believe This could have happened to my favourite chicken, and I am glad she is okay now. I thought it would get all infected, and she would slowly die from it, but she healed up extremely well and fast. All the vet said on the phone was to "Put salt water on it (one cup per one tablespoon) and some polysporin after three to four times a day." She stayed in a box in my room at night and I stayed with her as she walked around the house, but mostly in my sister's room (she loves her too, and sometimes calls her "her" chicken.). I think she had the top of her head sliced off from a metal sheet that I was using to block the chickens from my garden. Those sheets are way on the other side of my yard now, to be thrown out. They now have a snazzy new run to go in (even though when it is a day that I don't need to go anywhere, I will let them out.)


Second day ^















week or so ago ^
I still don't have a picture of what it looks like now, but there are feathers all over it now, and that lump is still there. XD
She has gone soft and now is scared of the rooster, whom of which she was the boss of before she got hurt. She is going to be my pet even after she stops laying. Not so sure about the rooster though.