Weird air cell

[davekrista]

Ok, so now the age old question. I noticed the crack around 10:15pm on thursday night on the 1st egg. Today is Saturday. It looks like the crack has gotten bigger and looks like its going around the egg, but being in lock down I can't open it to see how far around it does go. But still no actual pushing out of the shell, just crack. (If that makes sense) The shell still looks smooth, and like the crack is still internal.

So i guess my question is, when and if I would need to intervene? The way the light is hitting the egg, it has a candling effect and I was able to see it moving last night, but I haven't really looked long enough today to notice. I don't want to intervene unless absolutely necessary!!!

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

Trust me, if it's still rocking and moving I'd leave it alone until I'd say tonight before any intervention, it may be able to internally pip, but not external. That would give it 48hrs from Thursday, but don't take my word for it, I'm right there along with you on the learning experience. Have you heard it peeping?? I think if none of the others have externally pip, it might be ok to help it externally pip, and then see what it does on it's own. Lock down time is the most stressful time because you are helpless until it's manatory to help, and even at that, it's stressful. my 4 that internally pipped, peeped and I heard them, rocked and within the hour were dead. I think of the "I could have, I should have" but mother nature has her own idea's. I've learned to respect mother natures decisions and plans sadly for some, and happily for others. So, I'd listen to more the the experienced people on here then to me, just sharing my experience. Instead of excitement of seeing them rock or hearing them peep, I get scared because of what I went through last weekend. But, good luck!! Wishing for the best out come!

 

[davekrista]

Quote:
No I haven't heard them peep. Just scratching/tapping before I went into lockdown. But like I said, last night I saw it moving from inside, so I know it is still alive. Out of 6 eggs, 3 of them have that crack from inside but nothing is pushed out externally on the shells yet.

 

[katharinad]

Don't mess with it. You are trying to help 3 eggs, but you are endangering the other eggs when you open the machine. Yes they should pip externally within 24 hours, and then zip out another 24-48 hours later. You are fine as long as they are rocking, so don't even think about intervening. There is also this argument that they are weak if they cannot pip the shell, and it may not be good to help because you may end up with a sick or not normal duckling. It is better to help the ones that have externally pipped, if they cannot zip and have waited the 48 hours. So sit tight and just let things happening they way nature intended.

 

[davekrista]

Quote:
I don't plan on doing anything just yet. Just like to be prepared for when or if that time does come. I'm keeping away from the incubator today so I won't be tempted, and I'm cleaning the house and playing wii with my kids. Later I have to help hubby clean the chicken shed, so i plan on keeping busy. I am just the type of person that likes to be prepared and with the issues of them being early and losing more weight and stuff, I want to know all my options so I can make an informed decision thats all.

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
I can't speak to Pekins, but I can tell you that I have had a viable and vigorous baby Call hatch out all by itself on late day 22/early day 23. So it is possible. I've also had them hatch as late as day 29, though I am seeing the early babies seem to do better than late ones once they are out. Late ones take longer before they are ready to go to the brooder.

I agree with what people are saying about this air cell being too large/the egg being too dehydrated at this point. I'd up the humidity and absolutely quit spraying, *BUT*, with that said, I would also be checking all the other eggs with the candler...there may be eggs that do need spraying still. Have had that happen too. Working with several different varieties and families of Calls, not all my eggs run on the same schedule of drying down even though they are all set the same day. I personally am not afraid to run my candler over the eggs every day if need be, because I am hand-turning three times a day anyway. But I have a pretty good candler and I can do it quickly with a minimum of fussing around.

Everybody's results are going to vary depending upon where you are, your elevation, your humidity, storms, etc...all sorts of things can affect a hatch. Those numbers are more guidelines rather than hard and fast rules. You have to find your groove for your area and then figure out how to adjust for that, because as the seasons change, so can the "ground rules" you work out for yourself. Even a single day can make drastic changes, and not all machines perform the same either.

 

[davekrista]

Quote:
I can't speak to Pekins, but I can tell you that I have had a viable and vigorous baby Call hatch out all by itself on late day 22/early day 23. So it is possible. I've also had them hatch as late as day 29, though I am seeing the early babies seem to do better than late ones once they are out. Late ones take longer before they are ready to go to the brooder.

I agree with what people are saying about this air cell being too large/the egg being too dehydrated at this point. I'd up the humidity and absolutely quit spraying, *BUT*, with that said, I would also be checking all the other eggs with the candler...there may be eggs that do need spraying still. Have had that happen too. Working with several different varieties and families of Calls, not all my eggs run on the same schedule of drying down even though they are all set the same day. I personally am not afraid to run my candler over the eggs every day if need be, because I am hand-turning three times a day anyway. But I have a pretty good candler and I can do it quickly with a minimum of fussing around.

Everybody's results are going to vary depending upon where you are, your elevation, your humidity, storms, etc...all sorts of things can affect a hatch. Those numbers are more guidelines rather than hard and fast rules. You have to find your groove for your area and then figure out how to adjust for that, because as the seasons change, so can the "ground rules" you work out for yourself. Even a single day can make drastic changes, and not all machines perform the same either.

Right now my humidity is 79%-80% - I haven't been able to get it higher than 80% though.

 

[katharinad]

Quote:
A strip of cloth going into one of the water bins, going up the wall secured with the lid will wick up enough water and get it up.

 

[davekrista]

Quote:
A strip of cloth going into one of the water bins, going up the wall secured with the lid will wick up enough water and get it up.

I will go try that right now. We'll see what happens

ETA: - I just added the strip (wet with hot water) so I will check it in a little while to see if it goes higher. Also while I was at the incubator, I hear a tapping sound, but I couldn't figure out which egg was making it. I'm getting myself all excited again so I better go do something. Maybe i will start cleaning the chicken shed before my hubby gets home, to keep myself busy so I will stay away.

 

[davekrista]

So in about another 3 hours (a little bit longer) it will be 48 hours since I found that internal crack. 3 of them have the same thing, but none have actually broken through the shell (if that makes sense) and I haven't seen the eggs move at all since just after lunch time. My daughter has been watching it but I have been trying to stay away. I have gotten humidity up to 82%.... at the 48 hour mark should I try to intervene? Maybe turn on a hot shower and bring into my bathroom or something? The other 3 don't have any signs of anything. Not that I can tell anyway. And since lock down wasn't originally set until monday, maybe it will be ok? I am still not planning on anything, I just want to know what my options are at this point since its going on 48 hours soon......