How To Set Egg (w/air sac defects) At An Angle In Brinsea Mini Advanced?

[SavageChick]

Today, I received my first mail-order shipment of button quail eggs. When I candled them, four of the eggs appear to have two/broken air sacs in them, and one with a strangely-shaped air sac that basically saddles the entire upper half of the egg. Please excuse my pathetic graphic skills, but here is what they look like when candled...

I am going to let these eggs sit overnight and into tomorrow before setting them in the hopes that the air sacs may possibly correct themselves. However, if I find that they remain this way, is there a way that I can keep an upward angle on the egg while using the Brinsea Mini Advance incubator? On this particular incubator, the eggs lay flat on the turning table, so I am unable to use a carton to keep them upright. Is there a way that I can maybe tie a string of yarn around the egg on the upper end to keep it at a tilted angle without getting caught in the turner? Or, do any of you have any suggestions what I could possibly do?

Thanks so much for any input!

 

[laseterlass]

You are suppossed to set ALL ahipped eggs 24 hours before incubating.

 

[SavageChick]

For "these eggs," I did mean all of the eggs that were shipped. Guess I should have written that more clearly, but I was hoping someone may have some ideas on how to set these using the type of incubator that I have.

 

[TwoCrows]

These air sacs should return to normal after resting for 12+hours.

I am not sure about your particular incubator, however my first incubator also allowed for the eggs to only lay on their sides. So what I did was start by laying them with the large end tilted upwards. They stayed in this position fairly well for most of the day and maybe twice a day, I readjusted the eggs if they started to lay flat again after the automatic egg turner rolled them flat again. Pain the rump, LOL and of course I replaced that incubator with a better model, but it worked just fine with my fumbling with the eggs and the air cells stayed where they were supposed to.

Good luck!

 

[SavageChick]

Thank you, TwoCrows. I just looked at them again, and the air sacs remain the same. I've gone ahead and tossed the saddle-shaped one, as I figure it probably wouldn't reach full development. Another one has a hairline crack less than a pinhead long, so I put a dab of fingernail polish on it (it's a beautiful blue speckled egg, and I really didn't want to toss it without trying the polish trick first). For the ones with odd air sacs, I've decided to put a rubber band on the blunt end (the small rubber band that comes with a bag of crickets purchased at the pet store) to keep them somewhat upright. We'll see how this works on the turning table -- if it doesn't interfere with turning, I'll leave it on until lock-down, then remove it so it doesn't get in the way of any pipping. These eggs got pretty beaten up in the shipping process, even though they came from only one state away. We'll see if any of them make it to hatching day.

 

[SavageChick]

A quick update and new question:

Now on Day 7. Don't normally candle after Day 3, but wanted to check on the shipped eggs with the odd air sacs. The rubber bands seem to be doing a decent job of at least keeping them at a slight angle. Amazingly, all but one appear normal (the air sacs seem to have corrected themselves as the embryo started developing.) This is my first experience with odd air sacs, so I thought this was pretty interesting. The one with the nail polish over the pin-point crack is looking good as well. I do have a question about the one with the remaining air-sac issue.... It appears that the two air sacs have merged into one very large one. Initially, I was thinking of tossing it, but closer inspection reveals normal development with visible movement going on inside. Yet, I'm kind of concerned that the size of this air sac will interfere with further development in the coming days. Has anyone dealt with this situation and had any luck with this kind of egg making it to hatching day? If I mist this one egg with water a few times a day, do you think that might help slow any further enlargement of the air sac without significantly affecting the other eggs in the incubator?

 

[TwoCrows]

If the air cell is REALLY large at this stage, it will cause a problem. The chick will develop very small if at all. If the chick does make it to hatch, it could be a sickly problem chick which might need to be culled. So instead of going thru the heart ache of hatching a deformed chick, you might want to pitch that egg. You can't change the size of that air cell at this point without a lot of work, putting the other eggs at risk. Not worth it for one egg.

 

[danielatc81]

You are suppossed to set ALL ahipped eggs 24 hours before incubating.

I read similar advice prior to the arrival of my eggs. However the shipping took so long I was paranoid about allowing yet another day to pass. Was I being too worrisome? Time of shipping was about 7 days. Not knowing when they were laid added to my concern.

 

[TwoCrows]

I read similar advice prior to the arrival of my eggs. However the shipping took so long I was paranoid about allowing yet another day to pass. Was I being too worrisome? Time of shipping was about 7 days. Not knowing when they were laid added to my concern.

Eggs are fairly viable for 10 days. Even up to 14, although they can start to deteriorate after 10 a bit. It is very important to let eggs rest for 24 hours before setting. If you are really worried the eggs were in shipping too long, you can set them after 12 hours. But that is the minimum time to let eggs rest. The eggs need to get all those air bubbles settled back into the air cell at the top of the egg and come to room temp. If you start heating up the eggs before these air bubble resettle at the top of the egg, then this can cause all sorts of issues...small air sacs, deformed chicks, early death of embryo's, and nutrient transfer to the growing embryo. Setting cool eggs will cause blood rings and death of the embryos.

I know it is hard to wait, but just sit on your hands and let the eggs rest.

 

[danielatc81]

I shall diligently heed this advice should I receive eggs in the mail in the future.

Thanks!