Shipped eggs

[Whitechicks2020]

So I got some silkie eggs shipped and let them rest 24 hours like instructed but this being my first set of shipped eggs I didn’t realize how common it was for there to be jiggly or loose air sacs. I put them in after 24 hours and after day 3 I candled them and they are growing but the air sacs are very loose! So two days ago I stuck them big end up for a couple of days and it doesn’t seem to be changing. If I tilt them the air sac moves dramatically but there is veining and in some I can see embryos. My question is I guess where do I go from here?! Do I leave them up the rest of the incubation and do I need to tilt them so the yolk doesn’t stick or should I just lay them back down and let the auto turner do the work again?

 

[JaeG]

I hand turn and I never found it to be of any benefit to keep eggs upright unless the air cells have completely detached. If they have jiggly air cells I lay them on their side and hand turn 3-5 times a day.

Turning is super important early in incubation not so much to prevent the yolk sticking to the side of the eggs, but more for the development of certain membranes within the egg:
"The formation of extra-embryonic membranes and compartments is fundamental for the transfer of nutrients from the albumen and yolk and, last but not least, from the shell to the developing embryo. It is essential that embryonic development keeps pace with the development of the extra-embryonic tissues, so that when the day 12 embryo starts to grow, the yolk lipids are prepared for uptake by blood veins grown into a well developed yolk sac."
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/the-biology-behind-egg-turning

If you think your turner is gentle enough I think they'd be fine, otherwise hand turn for a few days until the eggs are maybe 10 days, or at least a week, into incubation and are past the most critical/delicate stages.

Just be aware that shipping can damage, not just the air cells, but the chalazae as well. I've had eggs I knew wouldn't grow as candling them showed the yolk sunk to where it shouldn't be sitting. It is disappointing when your precious eggs get a really rough ride.

for your eggs.

 

[Whitechicks2020]

I hand turn and I never found it to be of any benefit to keep eggs upright unless the air cells have completely detached. If they have jiggly air cells I lay them on their side and hand turn 3-5 times a day.

Turning is super important early in incubation not so much to prevent the yolk sticking to the side of the eggs, but more for the development of certain membranes within the egg:
"The formation of extra-embryonic membranes and compartments is fundamental for the transfer of nutrients from the albumen and yolk and, last but not least, from the shell to the developing embryo. It is essential that embryonic development keeps pace with the development of the extra-embryonic tissues, so that when the day 12 embryo starts to grow, the yolk lipids are prepared for uptake by blood veins grown into a well developed yolk sac."
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/the-biology-behind-egg-turning

If you think your turner is gentle enough I think they'd be fine, otherwise hand turn for a few days until the eggs are maybe 10 days, or at least a week, into incubation and are past the most critical/delicate stages.

Just be aware that shipping can damage, not just the air cells, but the chalazae as well. I've had eggs I knew wouldn't grow as candling them showed the yolk sunk to where it shouldn't be sitting. It is disappointing when your precious eggs get a really rough ride.

for your eggs.

Wonderful! Thank you so much for this info!! My turner is very gentle moves at a slow steady turn throughout the day so no sudden movements. Today is day 9 we are going to candle them tonight to check growth at day 3 we had 10 of the 12 that we could really tell were growing so I’m hoping they are still keeping up! Thanks again

 

[Ponypoor]

Wonderful! Thank you so much for this info!! My turner is very gentle moves at a slow steady turn throughout the day so no sudden movements. Today is day 9 we are going to candle them tonight to check growth at day 3 we had 10 of the 12 that we could really tell were growing so I’m hoping they are still keeping up! Thanks again

Any updates to your eggs, did any hatch?

 

[Whitechicks2020]

Any updates to your eggs, did any hatch?

Sorry yes we had 6 hatch so not the best but pretty good I think for my first shipped eggs!

 

[Ponypoor]

Awesome! That's great.

 

[MeganlovesJesus]

Mine are very slightly saddeledand a lil giggly I was told to keep them upright for 3 days no turning I am 24 hours should I put them in the egg tilter it’s a up right one it tilts

 

[NCchickentender]

Mine are very slightly saddeledand a lil giggly I was told to keep them upright for 3 days no turning I am 24 hours should I put them in the egg tilter it’s a up right one it tilts

I just hatched 4 silkies (it was a dozen but 8 were scrambled from shipping) and 10 (of 12) more silkies 8 days later. MANY had saddled air sacs!
This is what I did. I let first ones rest for 36 hours and the second set for 24 hours before putting in the incubator. I put the 4 eggs in a cut out egg carton and started incubation with them at a 45 degree angle, very gently turning them 3-5 times a day. After 3 days I laid them on their sides and used the incubator turner. The 12 eggs I just put in the bator as normal.
Good luck with yours!

 

[MeganlovesJesus]

Thank you so much for replying. OK I can tilt them in the little egg carton thing I made them. My only thing is is I work like 14 hours a day. I could turn them when I first wake up in the morning which is like 4 AM and then I leave around 630, but after that, I will not be able to turn them again until 530 and then I could turn them again before I went to bed around nine do you think that will be enough?

 

[NCchickentender]

You are welcome and Welcome to BYC!

I think that will be ok. They say to try to turn them an odd number of times per day so the eggs aren't resting on the same side every night so 3, 5, 7 should be good.