No air cell?

[Mak24456]

Hi everyone! It's my first time hatching eggs, and in a home made styro incubator. I ordered 6 silver laced wyandotte eggs and 12 olive egger eggs off eBay. (I know, I know

) The eggs arrived today, well packed and in good shape except one that had a long crack down its side. I threw it out after taking a look inside, luckily the seller included an extra for each breed.

I attempted to candle some, but I can't see any visible air cells. They all look the same air cell wise, that is, completely non visible. I even candled a grocery store egg for comparison, and I could see it there no problem. I realize green eggs are harder to candle but the wyandottes look about the same as the store eggs.

I am using my iPhone flashlight for lack of anything better, though I plan to order something stronger in the next couple days.


Store egg:





Olive eggers:






Wyandottes:





Can anyone tell me what the situation is in there and if there's anything I can do, short getting a stronger flashlight, to get better results? Thanks in advance!

 

[n8ivetxn]

You'll see more with a real flashlight or candler

, LOL... but yes, I just got some ebay eggs too and some of them I can't really see the air cell. - Which, I've heard, is a good sign that the eggs are fresh....They have a smaller air cell.

I can't tell for certain in some of the pics, but it looks like you're holding the narrow end up.... Do you know the fat end goes up when you set them? - Not trying to be a smarty-pants, I just didn't want you to make the hatch more difficult!

Happy Hatching!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I agree, nothing to worry about with your eggs Fresh eggs have very little in the way of an air cell. As eggs naturally age they lose moisture through their porous shells and the air cell grows. Your store bought egg is more than likely a good couple of weeks old so has had time to naturally lose some of its moisture.

Nice eggs you have there and it's great that they are so fresh. This is a real plus point for incubating and hatching.

Good luck and I hope you have a fantastic hatch

 

[Mak24456]

You'll see more with a real flashlight or candler

, LOL... but yes, I just got some ebay eggs too and some of them I can't really see the air cell. - Which, I've heard, is a good sign that the eggs are fresh....They have a smaller air cell.

I can't tell for certain in some of the pics, but it looks like you're holding the narrow end up.... Do you know the fat end goes up when you set them? - Not trying to be a smarty-pants, I just didn't want you to make the hatch more difficult!

Happy Hatching!

Yeah, the narrow end was up, because even less light reached the top when I held it down LOL
Don't worry, Sally's hatching eggs 101 has been my bedtime reading for the last few weeks, but I really appreciate the input! Thank you!

 

[Mak24456]

I agree, nothing to worry about with your eggs

Fresh eggs have very little in the way of an air cell. As eggs naturally age they lose moisture through their porous shells and the air cell grows. Your store bought egg is more than likely a good couple of weeks old so has had time to naturally lose some of its moisture.

Nice eggs you have there and it's great that they are so fresh. This is a real plus point for incubating and hatching.

Good luck and I hope you have a fantastic hatch

That so good to hear phew
Thanks so much! fingers crossed

 

[n8ivetxn]

Yeah, the narrow end was up, because even less light reached the top when I held it down LOL
Don't worry, Sally's hatching eggs 101 has been my bedtime reading for the last few weeks, but I really appreciate the input! Thank you!

I sort of figured you knew that

, I'm the same way - I keep rereading Sally's 101 page, and each time I catch something I missed the first go around...lots of eggsperience

on there....

Keep us posted on your progress!

 

[n8ivetxn]

Last night I stayed up really late reading this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037110/incubating-shipped-eggs . It was really good, and encouraging for those of us who've experience a "catastrophic" hatching disaster!

 

[Mak24456]

Last night I stayed up really late reading this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037110/incubating-shipped-eggs . It was really good, and encouraging for those of us who've experience a "catastrophic" hatching disaster!

Upon additional candling there is definitely some movement inside. The problem with my rather mediocre flashlight is I cannot tell if it is actually detached air cells or just the yolk moving/affecting the light

The eggs are in the bator now. I've read a thread very similar to that one, where people had decided no turning for 7 days was best, but since I can't really determine how the air cells are in mine I'm putting them in egg cartons and plan on hand turning immediately. Once my candler arrives I'll take a look on day 7 and decide on what to do next!

 

[n8ivetxn]

The eggs are in the bator now. I've read a thread very similar to that one, where people had decided no turning for 7 days was best, but since I can't really determine how the air cells are in mine I'm putting them in egg cartons and plan on hand turning immediately. Once my candler arrives I'll take a look on day 7 and decide on what to do next!

I have mixed feelings about not turning for the first few days....I think I disagree with the idea, but not out of experience, just reasoning....It seems to me, if the germ is good, the egg will begin to develop during incubation, regardless of the position or condition of the air cell. And, as the chick grows, it would force the air cell into the top of the shell, assuming of course the egg is in the upright position during growth. The air cell doesn't really come into play until the chick pips the membrane.

Does that make any sense? Again, I'm no incubation/hatching expert..... Just a goober trying to hatch some eggs

So, I let mine rest for 12hrs, to adjust temperature, then I placed them in the bator.

 

[Mak24456]

I have mixed feelings about not turning for the first few days....I think I disagree with the idea, but not out of experience, just reasoning....It seems to me, if the germ is good, the egg will begin to develop during incubation, regardless of the position or condition of the air cell. And, as the chick grows, it would force the air cell into the top of the shell, assuming of course the egg is in the upright position during growth. The air cell doesn't really come into play until the chick pips the membrane.

Does that make any sense? Again, I'm no incubation/hatching expert..... Just a goober trying to hatch some eggs

So, I let mine rest for 12hrs, to adjust temperature, then I placed them in the bator.

Pretty much what I did, except was probably 18 hours resting ^u^ The egg carton turning I have now is a pain though, I'll probably end up just laying them on their sides if air cells look good on day 7.