What is the best way to hatch shipped eggs????

[Bryam]

Hello!
I have 16 silkie eggs on day 5 of their incubation. They have pretty badly damaged air cells, very shaky, some are completely detached(rolling). I have them in an upright position in the automatic egg turner. For the first three days I was not turning them, then I started turning them 3 times a day by turning the automatic turner on, then when it rotated to a new position, I would unplug it for 5-7 hours then plug it in again, once it changed position, unplug and so on. I am trying to turn the eggs as little as possible to give the air sac more time to stabilize. The humidity is around 45 Percent. I am starting to think about their hatch, should I just let them hatch upright I the turner, with it off? I am trying to think of the best way to get a good hatch rate on these shipped eggs.

Please share your thoughts and experiences. In the past, I would loose the chicks right when I would remove them from the automatic turner and put the eggs on their sides. Not sure why they would die at the point.

Please share!

 

[RubyNala97]

I'm new, so someone else will have more insight. But my thoughts are to check the air cells when you candle at a later date. If they are stable take them out of the carton. But as long as you have holes in the bottom there shouldn't be a problem with letting them hatch in the carton. Again, please wait for someone more experienced to verify. Best of luck!

 

[Bryam]

I was thinking about just letting them hatch in the automatic turner? Should let them turn normally now?

 

[WalnutHill]

Do not leave them in the turner for hatching. Besides the incredible mess, there are way too many places for chick feet, heads and wings to get stuck. Use a trimmed down carton if you feel it necessary.

 

[Meaola]

I am new so not very qualified to answer but that sounds like a recipe for possible disaster to me. I would worry that they could get a leg stuck between the racks, fall head first through an open hole, accidentally get under the turner...etc. Might be too close to the heat source, too. I wonder if you are using a styrofoam incubator? And, if so, could it have been a major temp change after taking the turner out and setting them on the bottom? Again, I am no where near giving any advice, but just some common sense thoughts that came up. I am dealing with shipped eggs myself, so I am interested to see what advice others have for you. Best of luck on your incubation and hatch.

 

[CrzyChknLady81]

You can use egg cartons to keep them upright thru hatch if you want. I would highly warn against keeping them in the turner..I'm not hugely experienced..only in my 2nd year of hatching but a majority of my eggs are shipped..I have been extremely lucky with the quality of my eggs tho..my mailman gets a mailbox full from us at Christmas. .lol.. BUT, I think so far you've done everything right..letting them sit, not turning for 3 days and keeping it to a minimum now..I have a turner but I am trying a more natural method of laying them on their sides this time. I propped one side of my Bator up with a couple magazines, and put all the eggs with big end elevated (from the incu being elevated), ..I keep my bator in a tiny bathroom, heated and when I turn I can easily raise the heat in the room so that very little is lost when I turn and I just turn hot water on and close up the room during hatch and have been pretty successful so far..I do dry hatches, so no water til last couple days.
I've read about detached air eggs hatching just fine, have never dealt with it personally tho..I would go to the forums and read over the Hatching 101..so much advice in there and all of it great..hopefully someone that has more XP will weigh in soon

 

[Torch404]

Sounds like you are on the right track. Have you rechecked the air cells to see if they've reattached? As long as they are mostly up-right the embryo should seal the air sac back into place as it grows.

 

[Bryam]

Okay, I am more concerned with the hatch. It is safe to put the eggs on their side for hatching, even if they have saddle air cells? Some of the eggs have rolling air cells and the embryos are still developing. So I letting the automatic turn them 3 times a day, to limit the movement for the air cells. I am on day 6, when should I just let the turner do its thing and not unplug it, to limit the movement.

Thanks!

 

[sdm111]

If I were u I would set them in a cardboard egg crate upright.

 

[WalnutHill]

Okay, I am more concerned with the hatch. It is safe to put the eggs on their side for hatching, even if they have saddle air cells? Some of the eggs have rolling air cells and the embryos are still developing. So I letting the automatic turn them 3 times a day, to limit the movement for the air cells. I am on day 6, when should I just let the turner do its thing and not unplug it, to limit the movement.

Thanks!

I set my shipped eggs with rolling and saddle sells in the turner after 12 hours, and started turning right away with a very slow turner. One air cell is still loose, the saddles are stable. The poults are growing but I don't know how they will perform at hatch. This weekend will tell.

I laid them on their sides and will check some air cells tonight.