found airsack on wrong end of egg

[scotter]

When candling eggs tonight I found one that has the airsack on the smaller end off the egg so that it was on the bottom. The embryo is opposite in the bigger end. I turned the egg so the airsack was on top like the rest of the eggs. Was this the correct thing to do? will the embryo develop correctly in the bottom of the egg? would setting the egg on its side be better?

 

[davemonkey]

There's no telling. I'd set it on its side and let nature take its course, but I can't say for sure if that'd be the best option.

 

[sumi]

How far along is it? If it's still early in the incubation you may be able to get the air sac to move into the correct place and position, by placing the egg big end up. Placing the egg on it's side may cause the air sac to end up on the side of the egg as well and that will do a lot more harm that good.

 

[scotter]

Egg is on day five of incubation and is not detached. it was located on the bottom of the egg (apparent small end down) as it was setting in the incubator the embryo is developing in the top of the egg. I don't think the air sack will move because it was located on the bottom. my concern was having the chick develop on top of it. but I'm also worried about flipping it causing issues with the embryo.

 

[davemonkey]

Flipping at this point won't harm the embryo. You have until Day 18 to worry about that part. The tricky part is figuring out where its head will be positioned in relation to that air space on hatch day. From my limited experience hatching, the embryos tended to float toward the "top" of whichever direction/positioned the egg was turned. But that was all after Day 9 or so. At Day 5, you should be looking at a teeny tiny embryo (if you can make it out at all) and some developing veins. Those will stay in place until the embryo develops more.

 

[scotter]

Yes, that is all at this point. very small embryo and a mass of veins. I flipped it large end up so the air sack was on top. I marked the sack outline with pencil as I did on all the others. I'll check it again in a few days to see how it's doing and make sure it hasn't quit. Thanks for the replies.

 

[davemonkey]

Any update? Did it hatch?

 

[scotter]

Yes! It hatched just fine without assistance. I'm not sure which one it was because I woke up and there were six new chicks in the hatcher and one of them came from that egg.