Suggestions for Management of Damaged and Mal-positioned Egg Air Cells

[wolftracks]

 

[pete55]

Our last clutch of Dewlap eggs were incubated by their mother for 2 weeks. When removed there were 3 fertile but 2 had ruptured air cells due to clumsy incubation. On candling their was free fluid in the area where the air cell should be. This 'sloshed' about on movement of the eggs. However there were still active blood vessels and apparently healthy embryo's. The 2 ruptured air cells eggs were incubated vertically until Day 21 then kept at an angle of about 60-70 degrees until pipping.

By Day 21 the amount of free fluid had reduced and was only visible at the lowest point of the egg. As the fluid was not contained within the membrane both eggs lost weight at an increased rate and the humidity had to be raised to compensate. On internal pipping the aircells appeared abnormally large and weight loss was at 19%. The outline was irregular but both were laid horizontally for pipping as there was no free fluid visible.

The first gosling with a ruptured air cell hatched this morning and the other 2 eggs have both internally pipped. So this is another example of sucessful hatching of eggs with abnormal air cells, it just shows that you should never assume they cant be hatched, though to be fair mortality is usually higher.

Pete

Dewlap Toulouse - normal air cell size and shape at 21 days incubation.

Dewlap Toulouse - ruptured air cell at 21 days incubation. Note irregular shape and larger size.

Dewlap Toulouse - incubating eggs with ruptured air cells at 70 degree angle and normal air cell egg horizontal.

Dewlap Toulouse - the first egg with a ruptured air cell hatched and the remaining eggs both internally pipped.

 

[pete55]

The remaining 2 goslings hatched today

 

[Denninmi]

Aw -- hi, babies.

Pete -- I see you have the R-com incubator and also, based on the black and yellow, a Brinsea. I have 2 of the Brinse Octagon 20 Advanced EX with the humidity pump.

Just wondering, how do you like your R-com, and if they're comparable products, how does it compare to your Brinsea?

 

[pete55]

Hi

Its the R-Com Pro 20 with PC software. The computer software is ok but not for me. For others its a good method of refining egg management techniques and may be of use. However for ease of use, flexibility, turning options and temperature and humidity control its SUPERB. I highly recommend it and Im very impressed. Im going to phase out my Brinseas and replace with R-Com units.

Pete

 

[Denninmi]

Quote:
Rats -- I bought the Brinsea last year, and this year wanted another. I was debating between the R-com and another Brinsea, and went with the Brinsea because I thought, hey, if something goes bad on one, I have interchangeable spare parts or emergency parts.

Kind of disliking a couple of things about the Brinsea, though -- the stupid tubing from the water tank always tangles and gets caught in things, the little rigid plastic straw becomes kind of soft and hard to work with as it creases and kinks. Finally, NOT a big fan of their stupid metal rails and foam inserts -- they take up too much room and are a pain. I just quit using them, stuff inert material like aluminum foil around the dead space, works fine.

 

[ki4got]

thanks for pointing me to this post Pete. and even tho this is in the goose forum, hope nobody minds me asking a chicken question?

whoever mentioned size of the egg as part of the liability in shipping may have something there. I received 21 dorking eggs and 15 EE eggs yesterday, the dorking eggs being on the smaller end of the scale than the EE's, and the EE eggs were way more damaged than the dorkings, tho packaging was nearly the same on both.

of the 15 EE eggs, 1 ruptured internally and started leaking badly (tossed ASAP for the smell alone!) another showed signs of hairline cracks, the rest have what I'd call 'loose' air cells. on the Dorking eggs, only 5 or 6 had loose cells, the rest fairly normal except 1 where the air cell was just teeny bubbles floating around... I'm going to set these this evening, I let them sit overnight.

one question though... I see where you let the eggs set vertical (without turning?) for 21 days, but chicken eggs hatch in that time, where geese go longer... I'm wondering how long I should let them sit without turning... (using a hovabator auto turner) and would it hurt to treat the normal eggs the same?

 

[pete55]

Hi Karen

Just incubate vertically with no turning for 48 hours then just turn them by tilting. As you can see the goose eggs where incubated vertically with tilted turning right up to internal pipping then I laid them on their sides for hatching.

In your case you can stop turning and lay them on their sides around day 18-19. The principles of incubation remain the same

Pete

 

[Valentinesdayid]

Chicken Baq Baq and I don't Care, Chicken Baq Baq and I don't Care,Chicken Baq Baq and I don't Care
Chicken Pot Pie in my underwear!

 

[BeckyJaneDesigns]

Pete,
Wow! I wish I went looking for this thread a few weeks ago! I am incubating my first set of ducklings in a hovabator. This is the first time I have ever incubated anything, so when i got them shipped to me, I did not know what to look for, or that the air cell could even be an issue. I do not have a turner, so they have been laying horizontally the entire time, getting turned by hand 180 degrees. We are on day 19. I have 12 eggs. (I was shipped 20, but 8 were leaking all over the box when I got them). Most of the air cells have some degree of movement. Some are very minor, but there are at least two with quite extreme movement, where the air cell is at the blunt end, and then wraps around to the side. I can send a pic of the outline if that would help. All of the embryos are active.

So, now that I have realized that we have a problem, and begun to research, I am worried! What do I do to help them have the highest chance of hatching successfully? Again, I am a brand-new beginner, so I might need a bit more detail!

Thank you so much for your help!!
Becky