Eggs with no air cell?

[Fredster]

I searched, but didn't find anything, so I thought I'd just ask. Surely I'm not the only one who's dealt with this.

I've got 27 eggs in a Genesis 1588. I've discovered that a couple of the eggs seem to have developing emrbyos, but no air cell at the top of the egg. Logic tells me these probably aren't going to hatch, because the chicks will drown before they can get out.

Am I right? If they're not going to hatch, I want to go ahead and cull them while they're still 5 days from hatching.

Anyone else been through this?

(thanks!)

 

[Mom 2em All]

I have no advice on what to tell you to do- however, I had one (shipped) that started to develop, had no air cell, and then developed a blood ring- so it made my decision for me.

With only five days left to go, that is a tough call. Good luck.

 

[coopist]

Hello Fredster,

It's possible that the air cell may have been broken or dislodged to the wrong end or the side, and if so, they may not be able to hatch. However, it is possible that they'll make it. I wouldn't cull them; I'd wait. I had one pip on the wrong end (really the wrong end, with spilt liquid--not just down far on the shell) that hatched okay...He was just really determined I guess.

Oh, and if they do pip with no air cell, they'll pip *early* because they have to pip through the shell to breathe. So, when ordinary chicks are pipping internally into the cell, they will pip all the way through. You may be tempted to help them and think that they're taking too long hatching, but don't. It will just take them much longer, because essentially, they're on the same clock as an internal pip.

 

[championny]

I have the same thing on a few of my Welsummer eggs. I see something growing but can't make out an air cell. I agree with coopist. Wait it out to see.

 

[Grillmaster33]

A good number of my eggs have very odd shaped air cells. They are not very circular. More irregularly shaped than any eggs in my first batch.

Chicks are developing though. Might this be a problem?

 

[equine chick]

Were they shipped eggs? This can be common with shipped eggs, like a scalloped shape and mine hatched out okay.

 

[coopist]

Probably not a problem at all. Many air cells are odd shaped, especially if the eggs have been lying on their sides rather than sitting up in a turner. And, of course, that's the way they'd naturally develop under the hen.

 

[Fredster]

Nope, the eggs came from my own chickens, and have been in a Genesis + turner from day one.

I guess I'll just leave them alone and let nature do its thing.

 

[speckledhen]

This may not be the problem, but sometimes you cant actually see the aircell unless you turn that end toward the light. I know I can't and it appears not to have one, especially at the end of incubation. Just a thought. Tilt the aircell end toward the light and see if that's the problem.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
I was candling some Day 17 goose eggs yesterday and one was completely dark inside --- no air cell to be seen. Just black.
I knew it had started with a large wobbly air cell 'cause I'd marked it on the shell.

Then it hit me --- ROTTEN EGG!!!
I very carefully took it outside and threw it in the woods. When it hit the ground, it sounded like a gun shot. Hubby said he could hear it all the way back up here on the porch.

Since you can see developing embryos in your egg, that's probably not your situation --- thought I'd throw it out there in case.

Good luck!
Lisa