Oh no! eggs upside down : (

[Celiandy]

I feel so bad. This is the second batch I've incubated. First one went great. (Here's where I lay the blame) My husband started the second one when I was gone, I asked him if he remembered which side we were supposed to put up because I forgot, he said the small side up of course. Fast forward 2 weeks, I just realized the small side is supposed to go down. 2 days ago candling showed active little chicks inside. Should I lay them on their sides now? Is it too late? I hope they will be ok..

Thanks.

 

[canada-goose]

Don't give up until day 23, I say. Turn them large end up and hope for the best!

 

[Celiandy]

If I turn them small side down now, that won't mess them up even worse? Would you turn them small side down or on their side?thx

 

[Kedreeva]

I honestly have no idea which way you should turn them. I accidentally put in an egg upside down and the air sack actaully migrated to the center of the egg.... I am leaving it alone the way it started, but I will be watching VERY closely for a 'wrong end' pip when it hatches next week. I personally left mine the way it was so as to not disorient the embryo or somehow detatch it from where it was growing (since the membrane attaches to the egg shell, I don't know how well it would handle the pressure of gravity if I flipped it midway through). On the other side of the argument, we turn the eggs 180 every day side to side a few times, so maybe a 180 top to bottom won't have any effect at all.

Good luck with this, I hope someone is able to answer the question with more than guesses.

 

[dieselgrl48]

I wouldn't change them now at this stage.I used to incubate in a Sportsman from many hen's.SOMETIMES with the shape of some of there egg's I coldn't tell top from bottom.When you are hatching over 100 egg's or more you really dont candle them but a couple of time's.If anyone else here does more power to ya and it messes the egg's even worse.Turning the egg's is crucial but I don't think it's to the point of being overy cautious with how the egg's are laying or pointed.Patience Grasshopper".Hand turning goose and duck's egg's are a apin they basicly need rolled.A hen sitting egg's doesn't comp.Vertical or Horizontal.They could have an egg pointy end up in her hiney for 10 day's and when is ready to move it she will.Your temp and humidity will play the biggest factor in the egg hatching.I would just leave them as is until hatch time Im sure you will hatch some.I have.Anyone else can chime in just my experience.

 

[Celiandy]

Thanks for all the advise. I will maybe ease up on the angle a bit and leave them and hope for the best. Is the air sac on the big end or does it form on whichever is pointing up? Thanks everyone.

 

[spikennipper]

Are they being turned by hand or in an automatic turner? the air cell is on the large end of the egg only and it is best if you ensure the eggs are either large end up or tipped with the large end slightly higher, I have had a chick hatch the wrong end before and survive perfectly well and this is with the egg the right way up during incubation.

 

[Chickapooh23]

I am in the process of a hatch under a hen. Sometimes the end were up sometimes they were down. The first chick came out through the side of the egg. I had never seen one do that before. When I saw the egg the chick was still in it and it had a whole in the center of the egg. Like the decorative eggs you buy with a little scene in the middle of bunnies or something. It had zipped a center whole and was the first to hatch. Chicks will do what they do, just hope for the best.

 

[Celiandy]

I am hand turning them. I laid them on their side, hopefully they'll work it out. I'll post success or failure reports in 5 days or so. Thanks for all the help, I don't feel quite so panicky..

 

[Celiandy]

I just wanted to update, I had 4 polish hatch, it was a really agonizing hatch and I had to help almost all of them out in some way or the other. They were just not positioned right or they were too big for the egg. 3 of them pipped out of the small end or the middle, the other started out the big end. They seem to be doing good now. The other 4 didn't make it, looked like they died around day 18 or so, I couldn't tell why. Thanks for all your help!