Small Airsac..

[adubsroit]

Have 6 eggs in the bator right now, 5 of which are in lock down. Before locking down I checked all the eggs and they are all looking great in all the right departments but one of them has an itty bitty air sac. The egg is in lock down, day 25, and the air sac looks comparable to something you would see in week 2. I never paid much mind because the duckling was developing just fine from the looks of things but now I'm worried. This is my first run with eggs that my own ducks laid, mama (Bleeker) is a Blue Swedish and the dad is a Splash/Silver Swedish (Juno). Needless to that their name stuck even though there was some sex confusion when their names were administered.

It is also her first big run with laying eggs. She wasn't much for brooding, but she lays like a mother, lol and our drake seems to be more than viable. The air sac issue, could it be related to the age of the parents? I can't recall their ages but I do know they were bought as day olds from Privett hatchery stock (Splash drake) and Dunlap Hatchery (Blue hen/duck) back in mid March.

 

[katharinad]

Did you mist the eggs during incubation? That created large air sacks. Right now it is to late and you just have to wait and see. It may just hatch without an issue.

 

[adubsroit]

No, I didn't mist. I had been told you only mist in the case that you have to turn eggs by hand and are opening the incubator a lot to do so. We have an auto turning Brinsea 20 Eco so I never thought to do this. Like I said, it is also just the one egg of the 6. I guess being the first run with my own eggs that this is one of those "you live you, you learn" situations.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I use a seperate incubator for hatching- and like you- I candle before lockdown, only placing the eggs I think will definately hatch in the hatcher. Last lot- I left one egg behind as the airsac was rather small and I didnt think the little one would make it. Too much moisture in the egg and the little ones will usually drown before they can pip.
Anyway... after all the others had hatched I went to remove the egg from the incubator- and as I pulled out the draw- I heard a liitel peep, and saw that it had pipped the shell. It was backwards in the egg. It made it out no assistance- all on its own about 40 hours later.
Quite often If the baby is facing the wrong way in the egg- the air sac is much smaller than when they are facing the right way- also when candling- it is often harder to detect any movement in the airsac when they are malpositioned. They can still hatch- but sometimes need to be given a little extra time.