Question about incubating Guinea Fowl Eggs

[ladyh]

I have guinea eggs in the incubator. Today is day 9 for the first three and I candeled them. Of course I put then in with the pointy side down, like my chicken eggs, and these do have veins, but the strange part is the air pocket isn't on the large end of the egg like the chicken, it's on the small end pointing down. Is that normal?

 

[Pyxis]

That isn't normal - are you sure what you're seeing there is the air cell? They can be very small when they're first set and you may just be missing it at the top of the egg. If these were shipped eggs I could see that happening in maybe one or two but not all of them.

 

[ladyh]

Ok let me clarify,,I have been putting one egg a day in the incubator and will remove and put in lockdown on their respective days.(I do this successfully with chicken and turkey eggs) day 25 lock down. The first two, are day 9, so I candeled them. The rest I haven't candeled because it's too early. I read it should be at day 12 due to the thick shell. Candeling them is very clear and shells don't appear too thick as what I've read. The first two holding large side up, is dark and light on the bottom, indicating an air cell. Maybe I'm wrong, as I have only incubated and hatched turkey eggs and chicken eggs. Perhaps Guinea eggs are different?

 

[Pyxis]

If this helps any, here's a picture of what my guinea eggs looked like at around day eight or nine (I think that's when I took this picture, could have been at day seven).

This particular egg was shipped and even though you can't see it, the air cell was at the top where it's supposed to be. Could you get a picture of what you're seeing?

 

[ladyh]

ok you can't see the bottom because it's in the flashlight holder, but it is clear like an air pocket.

 

[Pyxis]

I think what you're seeing is likely space the embryo just hasn't grown into yet - you can see in my picture a little bit how it looks clear and yellow at the bottom, and that's just space that the chorio-allantoic membrane hasn't spread into yet.

 

[ladyh]

I hope so that would be great news. However, I read not to candle before day 12 so that is correct?

 

[Pyxis]

It doesn't hurt them or anything to candle before then. I do it all the time. Just don't go tossing any eggs out before day 10 or 12 because they look like clears - give them until then to make sure they really are clear and not developing before you toss them.

 

[ladyh]

The interesting thing is I see veins ?? This is only day 9 sometimes with chicken eggs I didn't think they were viable, and left them alone until they hatched on time..LOL

 

[Pyxis]

The interesting thing is I see veins  ??  This is only day 9  sometimes with chicken eggs I didn't think they were viable, and left them alone until they hatched on time..LOL

Yeah, I usually see veins in my guinea eggs by day five or six.