Perch Bombs

[KsKingBee]

I have been getting more perch bombs in one of my pens than eggs lain on the ground lately. They are not cracked to my surprise, they land in sand but drop more than six feet. I would think that the air sacks would be damaged but I don't know. Anyone have any ideas on the viability of perch bombs?

 

[casportpony]

Mine never survive the six foot fall to the base-rock, but I say set them and see what happens.

-Kathy

 

[zazouse]

I have had eggs hatch this year from my hens that were layed on top of my green house and my barn, they have fallen 10 to 12 feet and so far all of them have hatched and or are developing. how the PO can mess them up after seeing this sure has me scratching my head.
found these two after the storm by the green house a couple days ago they were also layed up there missed the bricks by inches

 

[DylansMom]

Use a strong flashlight or candler it will show you any hairline cracks or other damage. If undamaged I go ahead and set them, only once did I see a loose air cell. They seem to do just fine.

 

[KsKingBee]

Thank you for all the replies! Of the five eggs, one was broke, one had hairline fractures, the other three had no fractures. One had some bloodstain on it, DW thinks that it is a yearling hen that didn't know to lay it on the ground. One of the eggs has been in the incubator for two weeks, I will check it out and report if it is viable.

PS even with my Brinsea Ovaview I can not see the air cell in most of the eggs.

 

[DylansMom]

Thank you for all the replies! Of the five eggs, one was broke, one had hairline fractures, the other three had no fractures. One had some bloodstain on it, DW thinks that it is a yearling hen that didn't know to lay it on the ground. One of the eggs has been in the incubator for two weeks, I will check it out and report if it is viable.

PS even with my Brinsea Ovaview I can not see the air cell in most of the eggs.

Best candler I've found is a little LED flashlight, but use the really good batteries in it. The ones they say are for electronic devices and will last 9x longer than regular. That little flashlight will blind me if I accidentally shine it in my eyes, but I can see the air cells in 9 out of 10 freshly laid eggs with it. Some are just so porous/speckley looking that you can't see it no matter what. Plus you have to turn it different angles while candleing sometimes it's more visible from the side, rather than straight on. With practice you'll start to see it quicker. If it's detached and moves it's really easy to see it.

 

[zazouse]

You can fix that fracture with Elmer's wood glue and toilet paper, Patch was from my very first pea egg i hatched and when i found his egg it had a whole about the size of a pencil eraser but the membrane was intact, i fixed it and 26 days later he pipped right next to the patch so i had to help him out Hence that is how he got his name.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I've dripped hot candle wax on a cracked egg before and it hatched,also used scotch tape with sucess but have to watch at pipping time where they decide to break thru at.

 

[autumnmfisher]

good fixes, mine have laid about half their eggs from the perch to the floor, which I quickly put about a foot of hey under a few months back. only had a few break, and haven't had trouble with fertility as far as people who bought eggs let me know.
I actually caught one being laid - litteraly in the air - it was all hot n gooey... I swear it was soft for a few seconds then got hard... maybe that's how they don't break. one guy laughed at me when I said the eggs was soft at first, but he didn't catch the egg, I did. I'm just happy they survive the fall - about 6 feet - or we wouldn't have gotten most of the eggs we did get.

 

[casportpony]

I have one that always lays from the perch, so I go in and catch them if I want them. Got about 10 that way so far.

-Kathy