hatching duck and geese eggs with messed up air cells

[stillmecle]

I have 6 WH duck eggs and 4 goose eggs due to hatch on February 17. I have had them upright at about a 45° angel since putting them in the incubator. The cells were detached and are very large. Should I lay them on their sides to hatch or leave them upright? This is the first time I have had to deal with the air cells messed up. Some of them still have some fluid in the air cells. I want to try and save these babies so any assistance would be appreciated. I have read Pete's thread on goose eggs with bad air cells. So do I lay them all down on their sides at lockdown or leave them upright? Thanks

 

[LarryPQ]

When I get shipped eggs with messed up air cells, I will lock them down early and put them in egg cartons for hatching. This way, I know the air cell is where it should be during hatching, and I know the rocking &rolling of hatching won't effect air-cell placement.

Locking down a day or two early helps out any "early birds" who may try to pop out before they are due.

 

[stillmecle]

The problem is I have staggered hatching days on other ducks, with the same problems. So I really need to grit in and turn the other eggs. And there is not enough room to put them in egg cartons. What are the chances that they pip at the wrong end of the egg being upright?

 

[LarryPQ]

It is unlikey they will pip ant the wrong end, if they have been developing correctly in the egg. You don't need an entire egg carton in there, just enough of one to hold the egg in place while the chick pushes itself around to unzip. So you could cut the egg carton down to 4 or 1 or whatever you need, and still have room to turn the other eggs.

My concern: if the air cells are detached, when the chick starts to rock and roll, the air cell will move and the chick will pip into fluid. When the chick takes its first breath, it will breathe in fluid, or just have nothing to inflate its lungs,