Floating air sacks.

[Sylviaanne]

I recently got some eggs in the mail but almost all of them have floating air sacks. I put them in the incubator immediately, before I read that they should rest for a day or so. They did lay in the incubator for about 3 days undisturbed. When I candled them and found the floating air sacks, I put them in an egg turner. Has anyone had success with floating air sacks and egg turners?

 

[Amykins]

Define "floating", do you mean a rolling bubble like a carpenter's level? If it's that bad, I'd incubate upright and not turn them at all. Or at most, "tilt" them slightly. It's risky but I've heard of hatches being successful that way. But it'll be an uphill battle either way. :/

 

[msheets]

It can be difficult to hatch eggs with detached air cells, but not impossible. As long as the yolks aren't broken (scrambled) or there are a bunch of tiny bubbles surrounding the detached air cell, there's a chance. I personally would not recommend using an egg turner as it can allow the air cells to move around more freely. I would put them in an egg carton pointy side down & just tilt the egg carton to one side then to the other, alternating throughout the day. After the chick has developed quite a bit it will keep the air cell more where it's supposed to be. By lockdown it would be safe to put them on their sides. Since you've already had them in the incubator for several days, irreversible damage may have already been done...

 

[Sylviaanne]

Define "floating", do you mean a rolling bubble like a carpenter's level? If it's that bad, I'd incubate upright and not turn them at all. Or at most, "tilt" them slightly. It's risky but I've heard of hatches being successful that way. But it'll be an uphill battle either way. :/

Yes, very floaty. It doesn't go past the middle of the egg but if you kind of roll the egg, the air sack moves all the way around. My egg turner holds the eggs upright like they sit in a carton but it leans forward and then back. Should I turn it off?

 

[Sylviaanne]

It can be difficult to hatch eggs with detached air cells, but not impossible. As long as the yolks aren't broken (scrambled) or there are a bunch of tiny bubbles surrounding the detached air cell, there's a chance. I personally would not recommend using an egg turner as it can allow the air cells to move around more freely. I would put them in an egg carton pointy side down & just tilt the egg carton to one side then to the other, alternating throughout the day. After the chick has developed quite a bit it will keep the air cell more where it's supposed to be. By lockdown it would be safe to put them on their sides. Since you've already had them in the incubator for several days, irreversible damage may have already been done...

Shoot! Yes, some of them have air bubbles at the edge of the air sacks. This is bad?

Is there more than one type of egg turner? My eggs sit up, narrow end down and the egg turner tilts them back and forth. According to the instructions say it takes four hours to go completely from one side to the other.

More input please! Thanks, msheets. Sylvia

 

[Bryam]

Well wait a few days and see what develops!

 

[Bryam]

To answer your question, yes rolling air cells are kinda bad!

 

[Sylviaanne]

Well wait a few days and see what develops!

What is your opinion of the egg turner? On, off?

 

[Amykins]

I'd say off. But be prepared for the worst, I've never had any luck with an egg that had a rolling air cell.

 

[Sylviaanne]

I'd say off. But be prepared for the worst, I've never had any luck with an egg that had a rolling air cell.

I have read here that some have a little luck but then again, eggs that are shipped don't seem to do very well. I'm thinking it might have to do with them being flown, the altitude, you know? At least I expect that in order to get the eggs to me in 3 days, from CA to MO, they must fly them.