First time hatcher of a mystery chicken breed. Seems like there is a detached air cell? Also, how far along is this egg?

[Cest La Vie]

Hi everyone!

I was recently at my friend's house and noticed that they had lots of chicken eggs outside on cartons instead of in the fridge.
This was interesting, as they don't have chickens and I've never seen them store their eggs this way.

I asked my friend what was up with the eggs and I think some of you may know where this goes..
Unfortunately, she told me her parents had bought some "balut" eggs. I was heartbroken but as I am also Asian, knew better than to say anything to her parents
as our culture emphasizes respect for our elders. She feels the same as me and I "stole" some eggs with her help from her parents ):

I took the eggs home and found online to do a float test. Of the 4 duck eggs and 2 chicken eggs I was able to get.. only 1 duck egg and 1 chicken egg seemed to be alive (side note: I have never heard of someone eating balut chicken eggs, but I guess?). To be sure, I used my phone's flashlight to candle them and I was correct. I was actually surprised since I believe these eggs were just held upright in their room-temperature kitchen for who knows how long?

I then had a dilemma.. how in the world was I going to incubate these eggs?! I had immediately ordered the Kebonnixs Incubator on Amazon but it'd still take 2 days to arrive. Thankfully, I had a heat pad which I put into a box with a small bowl of water. It took a lot of adjusting to get the temperature correct but somehow we made it and I was able to keep them alive until the incubator arrived.

Enter today. Now I have the incubator AND a legitimate egg candler. The eggs themselves seem to be very healthy as the chick and duckling are definitely moving! Their veins look great and it makes my heart so happy as when I first candled them, they were barely moving at all. They've also grown since two days ago. However, under close inspection, I found something devastating today.. I believe both the chicken and duck eggs have a detached air cell? I did some research on here and was about to hold them vertically using an egg carton/stop turning it BUT I'm not sure how far along the chick (or duck) is?

Does anyone have advice on perhaps how far long these eggs are or what I should do? I weighed them today and the chick comes in at 4.5 grams, whereas the duckling is 8.2 grams. Poor babies had such a rough start and I just want to give them the best life.
I'm also a realist and know I can be in for some potential heartbreak but I want to make sure I do all in my power first.

Thanks so much and sorry for the long post!

The following pictures are of the chicken egg:

These are pictures of the duck egg:

 

[Tonyroo]

Chicken egg looks iffy, looks like it's on day 14.

The duck egg looks better, it looks close like the chicken egg.

Incubate them on there side and turn them 3 times a day.

 

[Cest La Vie]

Chicken egg looks iffy, looks like it's on day 14.

The duck egg looks better, it looks close like the chicken egg.

Incubate them on there side and turn them 3 times a day.

Thank you so much for your reply!

Unfortunately.. the air cell is even larger now. No idea what's going to happen as the chick is still moving a lot but I don't think it's going to make it. If it does, it'll be the smallest chick ever. In fact, I weighed both egg and the chicken egg went from 4.5 grams to 4.2 grams. The duck egg went from 8.2 grams to 8.1 grams..

Is this normal?!

 

[FeatherTay]

It’s good that the air cell is bigger. Means it’s growing so the chick can breathe when it internally pips on hatch day. They both look fine! I don’t see a detached air cell. I would leave them alone. You got any candling pictures?

 

[Farmchickstogo]

Hi everyone!

I was recently at my friend's house and noticed that they had lots of chicken eggs outside on cartons instead of in the fridge.
This was interesting, as they don't have chickens and I've never seen them store their eggs this way.

I asked my friend what was up with the eggs and I think some of you may know where this goes..
Unfortunately, she told me her parents had bought some "balut" eggs. I was heartbroken but as I am also Asian, knew better than to say anything to her parents
as our culture emphasizes respect for our elders. She feels the same as me and I "stole" some eggs with her help from her parents ):

I took the eggs home and found online to do a float test. Of the 4 duck eggs and 2 chicken eggs I was able to get.. only 1 duck egg and 1 chicken egg seemed to be alive (side note: I have never heard of someone eating balut chicken eggs, but I guess?). To be sure, I used my phone's flashlight to candle them and I was correct. I was actually surprised since I believe these eggs were just held upright in their room-temperature kitchen for who knows how long?

I then had a dilemma.. how in the world was I going to incubate these eggs?! I had immediately ordered the Kebonnixs Incubator on Amazon but it'd still take 2 days to arrive. Thankfully, I had a heat pad which I put into a box with a small bowl of water. It took a lot of adjusting to get the temperature correct but somehow we made it and I was able to keep them alive until the incubator arrived.

Enter today. Now I have the incubator AND a legitimate egg candler. The eggs themselves seem to be very healthy as the chick and duckling are definitely moving! Their veins look great and it makes my heart so happy as when I first candled them, they were barely moving at all. They've also grown since two days ago. However, under close inspection, I found something devastating today.. I believe both the chicken and duck eggs have a detached air cell? I did some research on here and was about to hold them vertically using an egg carton/stop turning it BUT I'm not sure how far along the chick (or duck) is?

Does anyone have advice on perhaps how far long these eggs are or what I should do? I weighed them today and the chick comes in at 4.5 grams, whereas the duckling is 8.2 grams. Poor babies had such a rough start and I just want to give them the best life.
I'm also a realist and know I can be in for some potential heartbreak but I want to make sure I do all in my power first.

Thanks so much and sorry for the long post!

The following pictures are of the chicken egg:

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These are pictures of the duck egg:

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They look about 13-15 days, I would suggest incubating upright in an egg carton if there is room in the incubator, and only turn once a day till lockdown.

 

[Cest La Vie]

It’s good that the air cell is bigger. Means it’s growing so the chick can breathe when it internally pips on hatch day. They both look fine! I don’t see a detached air cell. I would leave them alone. You got any candling pictures?

Why yes, I do! I just took these right now and have no idea what I'm looking at so it'd be great if you can help! <3 Thank you so much, by the way. The kindness of this community always makes me want to cry. Everyone is just so, so incredibly sweet. It means so much to me that you even read this post!

Here is the chicken egg:

And here is the duck egg:

 

[Cest La Vie]

They look about 13-15 days, I would suggest incubating upright in an egg carton if there is room in the incubator, and only turn once a day till lockdown.

Thank you so much!! The duck egg doesn't fit upright in my incubator but I'll be setting the chicken egg upright! Just to double-check, that means the pointy end is down, right?

 

[FeatherTay]

Have you been turning the chicken egg?

 

[FeatherTay]

Also I’m very happy to help you!

 

[Cest La Vie]

Have you been turning the chicken egg?

I have a Kebonnixs incubator that automatically turns it for me!

Regardless of what happens, the chicken bug has bit me and today, I am picking up 4 Lavender Orpington eggs! I only want 3 hens - or maybe even 2 hens and a roo! The lady told me she has great hatching rates at about 80%. Do you think 4 eggs will be enough? Or should I get 6?

I used to have LOTS of chickens. I had 20 in total but moved so I rehomed all my sweet babies to a 10-acre farm where they're still happy today. Side note: Greenfire Farms used to have auctions for their leftover chicks and I was able to only pay $200 for 14 chicks from them with a bunch of rare breeds such as Ayam Cemani's, Barnevelders, 55 Flowery Hens, etc.

I've finally bought a house where I'll stay permanently with a decent-sized backyard so I've been thinking about getting chickens later on but it just so happened I saw these sad eggs at my friends house so here I am now. I've never hatched eggs before and really, really wanted to this time which is why I'm picking up more eggs later today.