Is the malposition of beak away from air cell really that lethal??

[Chickinie]

Hi,
I am wondering if there is much truth to a chick pipping away from the air cell being fatal? I know that pipping at the wrong end of the egg (flipped around) is apparently not... I have read the assisted hatch article on here. I expected my shipped MGB to have trouble so did my research, as I've had some malpositions of OEG in the past in the incubator.

I noticed with the eggs that didn't develop they have a really thick outer membrane... So I was determined to make sure they can breath when they need to... I knew for certain they would be all over the shop.

Anyway... 1 is hatched; it was positioned ok. There are 5 more in the right position hatching/ internally pipped. One is pipping the other end; it pipped by itself through the shell but I had to slice the membrane. And a few pipped by themselves away from the air cell (on the opposite side of the dip in the air cell). I cut their membranes too. None bled, I only made sure they could breathe. I had to scrape the shell and peel it off of one that was making a weird (really loud) rasping noise; as soon as I broke the membrane an it could breathe it was happy. So I did the same for the others that had the conformed air cells like they were ready to hatch because I didn't want them to suffocate. The thick membrane is good for one thing - finding beaks without bleeds.

One that has pipped away from the air cell is nearly hatched (with assistance). I just listen for their complaining...They all look really healthy so far... I'm making sure I don't rush anything.

Seven out of 13 of my MGB chicks have pipped in the wrong place.

 

[Chickinie]

UPDATE: I've come to the conclusion that they are able to hatch quite alright by themselves when the have their beaks away from the shallow dip in the air cell.

But...

Not when they are malpositioned like this!!

Its feet are so cramped (were at the small end, in the point!).. legs twisted, head above wing, beak at feet - not way it could pip the shell.

11/13 chicks hatched in the end.

 

[slordaz]

a lot depends on determining if they are mal positioned and the assistance , here is some good information for you to read on both.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...tions-and-deformities-in-chick-embryos.67021/

 

[Chickinie]

a lot depends on determining if they are mal positioned and the assistance , here is some good information for you to read on both.

Yes! I have read these.They helped alot! I was confused about the link in the assisting article, about the 'lethal' malposition:

They hatched fine like this. I know because I candle them after lockdown.

I don't think is as lethal as it says.

My eggs were incubated horizontally, angled down towards the small end (in slices of toilet roll).

 

[slordaz]

I personally don't see it any more lethal than the others, but I usually lock down between day 15-17, as it gives them a little more wiggle room to get into the correct position. it's funny to watch the eggs look like they are trying to just stretch as they do it too. But I also hatch at high elevation.

Mine are incubated laying down, and watch the air cell to make sure it's going down properly not so much as days. Way I hatch I actually got a small egg from pullet that was it's second egg to hatch out a chick just fine. There is always room for tweeking things depending on your setup and things that can affect hatching.

 

[Chickinie]

I personally don't see it any more lethal than the others, but I usually lock down between day 15-17, as it gives them a little more wiggle room to get into the correct position. it's funny to watch the eggs look like they are trying to just stretch as they do it too. But I also hatch at high elevation.

That's what I thought! But I've never experienced it before. I didn't want over half of them dying after they had gotten so far.

I stopped turning on day 16/17 because I expected them to hatch early, which they didn't. Would stopping turning them a bit earlier be better? Can it harm them doing it earlier than recommended? Would a more upright position be better next time?

Have you ever had over half malpositioned?

 

[slordaz]

That's what I thought! But I've never experienced it before. I didn't want over half of them dying after they had gotten so far.

I stopped turning on day 16/17 because I expected them to hatch early, which they didn't. Would stopping turning them a bit earlier be better? Can it harm them doing it earlier than recommended? Would a more upright position be better next time?

Have you ever had over half malpositioned?

Probably had them all by now as when I started hatching besides using the hardest one to do it in had to deal with high altitude and not a lot of people, so my incubation tweeks may or may not work for you personally, just don't get discouraged. I have had between 60-80% mal positions a couple of times learning, what I found was laying down and more towards a dry incubation cleared that up for me, the high ones were when they were in an up position, besides incubator fried the hatches at lock down with the increased humidity

I have stopped turning and upped humidity at day 15 with no problem

 

[Chickinie]

Probably had them all by now as when I started hatching besides using the hardest one to do it in had to deal with high altitude and not a lot of people, so my incubation tweeks may or may not work for you personally, just don't get discouraged. I have had between 60-80% mal positions a couple of times learning, what I found was laying down and more towards a dry incubation cleared that up for me, the high ones were when they were in an up position, besides incubator fried the hatches at lock down with the increased humidity

I have stopped turning and upped humidity at day 15 with no problem

Thanks for the info! I think I might try the drier incubation method next time.

Also, do you think that candling can make them disorientated? I found that when I candle them they can wriggle quite violently earlier on in the incubation.

 

[slordaz]

Thanks for the info! I think I might try the drier incubation method next time.

Also, do you think that candling can make them disorientated? I found that when I candle them they can wriggle quite violently earlier on in the incubation.

It could cause issues, Why I check usually at day 10, but if you candle earlier then don't turn the egg around , they don't usually wiggle violently if you handle with care

 

[Chickinie]

It could cause issues, Why I check usually at day 10, but if you candle earlier then don't turn the egg around , they don't usually wiggle violently if you handle with care

Ok. Thanks for the advice!