These are questions I haven't been able to find an answer to...

[RightFromtheStartDoula]

1. If an egg has no air cell, what does that mean?..Is it possible that I just can't see it?..

2. When candling, do you candle on the end with the air cell or the opsite end?..Or hold egg on side as it would lay in bator...?

3. I see that some people have plastic slip resistant matting on top of the wire in their bators, is that ok?..Can it be in there the whole time or just after day 18?..

4. When day 18 gets here, (today is day 11), do I remove the wire and put the eggs on bottom of bator?..Is there enough room to leave wire in bator and have chicks in there for the 24 hours to dry and not get burnt by the heat ring?..

5. Blood ring?..Are they pretty apparent?..can they be really thick?..I think I may have 1 but not sure..the same egg has 2 really dark spots, possible meat spots?..Not sure...

Tonite when I candle I will take pics so that you all can see what I am seeing!!...

Thanks...

 

[Tuffoldhen]

By day 7 or 10 when you candle you should see the air sac at the top of the egg.

I candle on the evenings of day 10 for the first time and with a small mag flashlight down into the Big end of the egg if they are in a turner or if I hand turn.

You can use kitchen shelf lining but I never have, it's left from day 1 thru 21 til the hatch is finished. The wire does not come up for a hatch, thats where they hatch from, your plastic water wells are under your wire for humidity.

Blood rings are pretty apparent, a circle of blood around the inside of the egg.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=72755

 

[RightFromtheStartDoula]

ok..thank you...

so the end of the egg where the air cell should be is the big end or little end?..or do we use top and bottom?...top being skinny end and bottom being fatter end?..and ari cell on skinny end?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
The air cell is at the BIG end of the egg, the pointy end goes down into a turner if your using one, if not I just lay in the eggs down on the wire bottom with the Big end facing the back of my bator and the pointy ends towards the front.

 

[I'vegotchickenfever]

so the end of the egg where the air cell should be is the big end or little end?..or do we use top and bottom?...top being skinny end and bottom being fatter end?..and ari cell on skinny end?

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS - pointy end down. The top is actually the wider part where the chick will hatch from. If the egg is upside down (Smaller end on top) they may not be able to hatch out. You want the air sac to be at the fatter top end - and the skinny part down.​

 

[Tuffoldhen]

This is how they are if in a turner, Big end at the top, pointy end is into the bottom of the egg cup. Just the same way you will find store bought eggs or homegrown fresh in cartons, Big end is always at the top.

 

[jadell]

I got a little worried when I saw the thick stuff to for the first time. Then I realized that was a good thing and not a blood ring. I ended up having an egg with a blood ring and it looked totally different. You can look up candling chicken eggs on youtube and there are a couple of videos with the blood ring. It helped me out a bunch, hope it helps you.

 

[RightFromtheStartDoula]

you guys are great!!...

My first 2 questions I still have trouble with...

Air cell...must have for hatch?..If none should I get rid of it?..

And best end to candle through....

My eggs are laying on sides in bator so no need to worry about tom and bottom...but when I pick them up do I need to keep the fat end up at all times?...I didn't know that before...what damage could I have done ???..

 

[Tuffoldhen]

If the egg is not seeping, weeping or has a crack or smell leave it til the end. You should see the air cell at the top of the egg. Let me see if I can find a good pic.

I just never candle anywhere but from the top (Big end) of the egg, some people do other wise but I have the best hatches by not handling them more than necessary when I candle.

Follow the posting that LilDucky has here, great pics of what you need to see!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=159852