Should air cell be on the top or bottom?

[paddock36]

I have some eggs in my homemade incubator and they are from the best I can tell all small end down, but when I candled (for the first time ever) it looks like the air cell is on the bottom small end. Shouldn't the air cell be on the top (big end) of the egg? So which way should I turn the eggs or would it just be better to lay them on the side and hand turn them. They are only on day 7 but I see development.

 

[ljf24]

the air cell should be on the big end

 

[paddock36]

So if it's not or at least looks like it's not then I need to turn the egg over right. Since the egg has been developing has this caused a problem with the air cell being on the wrong end.

 

[ljf24]

i always lay my eggs on their sides and turn them. if you turn the small end up then the embryo will die.

hope this helps

 

[catwalk]

I have some jenky air cells as well. I've been rolling them on their sides, but I think I should give them special treatment on top of that. Maybe roll them with respect to the air sac. I don't think I have any on the pointy end, though. Maybe it just looks lighter because it's less viscous there? Keep us posted as to how they do.

 

[paddock36]

I have 11 eggs in my incubator. Seven of them I can see the veins and little embryo. The others I don't think are any good, but I'm waiting a few more days on those just in case I missed something. I think that's pretty good since this is my first time doing this since I know I have already made a few mistakes and these eggs were shipped all the way from Utah. I just put them back on their side to roll them instead of tilting them which is what I started out doing. I like that method better. (The other six eggs I put under a friend's broody hen)

 

[Critter Crazed]

Yikes I don't know.... Maybe you have the big end and the small end mixed up? Maybe the small end really is the big end? Happened to me during this hatch. I had one egg with two large ends so I kind of just guessed where the air cell was and popped it in because I'm a beginner at this. Sure enough on day 14 when I candled them it was upside down. But there was an embryo in there about the same size as the other eggs. I flipped it the other way and I think the embryo has grown since then!! I'm on day 17. I hope it hatches!
I don't know if that helps any lol. All I know is that the air cell has to be on top but the large end has to be on top too..

I hope all goes well.. Good luck!

 

[walkswithdog]

When air cells are disrupted or displaced it is best to place them on their sides and roll them yourself, rather than try and force them one way or another.

I tried carton hatching/ tilting and with off air cells the outcomes weren't good.

Switching to laying it on it's side and hand turning, saved a LOT more of those eggs.

Good luck.

 

[paddock36]

Thanks everyone for the help. They are back on their sides so hopefully

they will continue doing good. I can't wait to candle them in a week to see how they are doing.

 

[mamanaturale]

Quote:
really? that is very interesting to hear! my thoughts were that keeping them in a carton or turner would be better for them because it would keep the aircell where it "should be". any idea why on the sides works better for you??