Too much humidity? Air cells okay? Saddled air cells? Shipped Eggs.

[Pandang81]

Hi all, I tried posting this a few days ago but didn’t get a response. I am now on day 17 with my 21 hatching eggs in the incubator & I really hope they hatch well. They are all developing wonderfully. These are shipped eggs so came with large wobbly air cells , large saddled air cellls & some fine air cells. Now all seem to be stationary even the saddled ones so I’m wondering the following:
1. I kept humidity high at about 55% avg throughout & kept them in a upright incubator (pointy end of egg down) because I read that shipped air cells do better that way. I started with 30 eggs & now have 21 going into lockdown tomorrow night. How can I tell if they have tooo much moisture at this point in time? Is it just the way their air cells look or should I be looking at something else? I don’t want them to drown while pipping…any thoughts on how to prevent that?
2. Does size of air cells look okay at day 15? See pics.
3. Since the saddled air cells are solid & stationary now should I hatch them laying down or hatch upright?

 

[Pandang81]

Some of the saddled air cells. They’ve gotten SOO much better since day one.

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

I too am now at lockdown with shipped eggs and was hoping someone replied to you. How did your hatch go?

 

[Pandang81]

I too am now at lockdown with shipped eggs and was hoping someone replied to you. How did your hatch go?

I am in day 20 & so far 6 have hatched with 5 more pipped. I dropped humidity on day 14-18 to try to soak up as much fluid/prevent drowning & then before lockdown I checked air cells & they were all solid except for two so I layed all flat for hatching except for those two which are upright in a cut down carton. Those two haven’t hatched yet so I’m curiously waiting. The others that have are doing great so far. Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

Today is day 20 for me also and nothing yet. All Silkie eggs, so a little surprised that nothing has started yet. But then they were shipped eggs, so there is that! I was on target for weight loss, so only increased my humidity to 55-60%. On advice of breeder and others, I’m doing the upright hatch vs laying down. I’m super nervous doing it though, as all other hatches have been the traditional laying down method.

 

[Pandang81]

Today is day 20 for me also and nothing yet. All Silkie eggs, so a little surprised that nothing has started yet. But then they were shipped eggs, so there is that! I was on target for weight loss, so only increased my humidity to 55-60%. On advice of breeder and others, I’m doing the upright hatch vs laying down. I’m super nervous doing it though, as all other hatches have been the traditional laying down method.

Yeah me too. I went back and forth in wether to do all upright hatches or laying down. I went with laying down for all but two just because they all were so solid with good air cells by day 18. I’ve currently got 8 hatched and 3 external pips with two of the 3 chewing out so they’ll be out very soon. The 3rd external pip is pipped in the very middle of the egg away from the top where the air cell is. It’s a huge pip though, like half an inch long. It hasn’t moved much since it pipped. I’m not sure what to think of it but continuing to watch it & hope it hatches well. The other 8 not Yet pipped are quiet so I’m hoping by tomorrow we will have some more pips!

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

The suspenseful waiting is killing me!

 

[Pandang81]

The suspenseful waiting is killing me!

Soon!

 

[Canina]

Hi all, I tried posting this a few days ago but didn’t get a response. I am now on day 17 with my 21 hatching eggs in the incubator & I really hope they hatch well. They are all developing wonderfully. These are shipped eggs so came with large wobbly air cells , large saddled air cellls & some fine air cells. Now all seem to be stationary even the saddled ones so I’m wondering the following:
1. I kept humidity high at about 55% avg throughout & kept them in a upright incubator (pointy end of egg down) because I read that shipped air cells do better that way. I started with 30 eggs & now have 21 going into lockdown tomorrow night. How can I tell if they have tooo much moisture at this point in time? Is it just the way their air cells look or should I be looking at something else? I don’t want them to drown while pipping…any thoughts on how to prevent that?
2. Does size of air cells look okay at day 15? See pics.
3. Since the saddled air cells are solid & stationary now should I hatch them laying down or hatch upright?

I have had a lot of unsuccessful rounds of shipped button quail eggs but I found that I should NOT put them upright to hatch. They keep getting stuck and pipping at the wrong end but that’s buttons and maybe less likely in a bigger egg.

 

[Clodill4rel]

I am in day 20 & so far 6 have hatched with 5 more pipped. I dropped humidity on day 14-18 to try to soak up as much fluid/prevent drowning & then before lockdown I checked air cells & they were all solid except for two so I layed all flat for hatching except for those two which are upright in a cut down carton. Those two haven’t hatched yet so I’m curiously waiting. The others that have are doing great so far. Good luck with your hatch!

I am also on lockdown for one set of 7 silkies and our broody hen is on an additional 6 of our own mixed flock….Hoping we get some chick pics to share with you all soon!