Snowflake bobwhite air cell damage/abnormality? 11 days of development w/ picture

[marrgalo]

Hello! I am hatching snowflake bobwhite quail eggs that were shipped to me from a nearby breeder (about 30 miles away). As recommended by the seller, I did not turn eggs for the first 6 days of incubation and situated them with the pointy end facing down. I am now turning them with a roller turner (hatchmate incubator). Of the three eggs, one did not develop. The other two both have the same air cell deformation (picture is taken at 11 days of development). Does anyone have experience hatching chicks from eggs with air cells that look like this?

For reference, snowflakes usually hatch after 22-24 days.

Any input or advice is appreciated!!

Many thanks,
Jordan

 

[MGG]

Hello! I am hatching snowflake bobwhite quail eggs that were shipped to me from a nearby breeder (about 30 miles away). As recommended by the seller, I did not turn eggs for the first 6 days of incubation and situated them with the pointy end facing down. I am now turning them with a roller turner (hatchmate incubator). Of the three eggs, one did not develop. The other two both have the same air cell deformation (picture is taken at 11 days of development). Does anyone have experience hatching chicks from eggs with air cells that look like this?

For reference, snowflakes usually hatch after 22-24 days.

Any input or advice is appreciated!!

Many thanks,
Jordan

You didn't turn them for the first 6 days?!?! Yikes. The seller is very wrong if they said not to turn for the first 6 days. The first week of turning is very critical. Well, it's too late now. The air cell is just saddled, not a big deal. It won't affect the hatch any.

 

[Nabiki]

I agree that not turning the eggs for the first 6 days is a huge mistake. Let us know how the hatch goes!

 

[marrgalo]

You didn't turn them for the first 6 days?!?! Yikes. The seller is very wrong if they said not to turn for the first 6 days. The first week of turning is very critical. Well, it's too late now. The air cell is just saddled, not a big deal. It won't affect the hatch any.

Hi MGG! Thanks for the advice. This is my first time incubating eggs and there are so many differing opinions about how to incubate on the internet! I figured I would go with what the seller recommended. In fact, the seller suggested that I do not turn eggs for the first 8-9 days, but I decided to start turning at 6 since it seemed so long...

Out of curiosity, how do you incubate eggs that are shipped to you? And do you have different techniques for eggs that arrive with obvious air cell damage?

I hope you are right that these will hatch! Fingers crossed.

 

[marrgalo]

I agree that not turning the eggs for the first 6 days is a huge mistake. Let us know how the hatch goes!

Hey Nabiki! Thanks for the second opinion. I just asked MGG a question that I would like to pose to you, too. Since it seems like there are so many different strategies to incubate shipped eggs, how do you incubate eggs that are shipped to you? And do you have different techniques for eggs that arrive with obvious air cell damage?

Thanks!!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I've not turned shipped eggs for the first 4 or 5 days when incubating if the air cells are really bad.

 

[Nabiki]

Hey Nabiki! Thanks for the second opinion. I just asked MGG a question that I would like to pose to you, too. Since it seems like there are so many different strategies to incubate shipped eggs, how do you incubate eggs that are shipped to you? And do you have different techniques for eggs that arrive with obvious air cell damage?

Thanks!!

My specialty is Coturnix quail, but when I get shipped eggs, I will let them sit at room temp for about 6 hours to let the air cells settle, then put them in the incubator with the turner on so they start turning immediately.

I preheat my incubator when I get the shipping notice so I can make sure that temperature and humidity are stable by the time I get the eggs. Do not trust your incubators temp and humidity readings. Get multiple calibrated thermometers and a calibrated hygrometer.

 

[007Sean]

I'll throw my

in on shipped eggs.
Shipping is extremely hard on fertile eggs, more so with gamebird eggs than with chicken eggs.

My experince is: If the air cell is detached I toss the egg...never have had a detached air cell egg hatch....quail, pheasant, duck, goose, peafowl or turkey. Some people have reported them hatch but I never have had them hatch.
I typically let the eggs rest for 8 to 12 hours before turning the eggs. If it is very warm weather during shipping, I put the eggs in the incubator immediately upon arrival....due to the fact, the embryos are probably already developing. If you let them rest at room temperature, the likelyhood of the embryos dying is greater.

If they are cracked, they get tossed, too! I've tried several methods of sealing the cracks ( tape, wax, super glue) all to no avail. Here again, some people had claimed to have a sealed egg hatch, I have not had any hatch.

Hatching shipped eggs is a gamble, they might all hatch, some hatch or none hatch! It makes a huge difference on hatch ability depending on the 'method' used in packaging of the eggs; ie, foam, paper egg crates, sawdust, bubble wrap, tissue paper, etc. Foam egg crates have the highest percentage of hatching of all the methods, in my experince with shipped eggs.
HTH

 

[MGG]

I'll throw my View attachment 2235880 in on shipped eggs.
Shipping is extremely hard on fertile eggs, more so with gamebird eggs than with chicken eggs.

My experince is: If the air cell is detached I toss the egg...never have had a detached air cell egg hatch....quail, pheasant, duck, goose, peafowl or turkey. Some people have reported them hatch but I never have had them hatch.
I typically let the eggs rest for 8 to 12 hours before turning the eggs. If it is very warm weather during shipping, I put the eggs in the incubator immediately upon arrival....due to the fact, the embryos are probably already developing. If you let them rest at room temperature, the likelyhood of the embryos dying is greater.

If they are cracked, they get tossed, too! I've tried several methods of sealing the cracks ( tape, wax, super glue) all to no avail. Here again, some people had claimed to have a sealed egg hatch, I have not had any hatch.

Hatching shipped eggs is a gamble, they might all hatch, some hatch or none hatch! It makes a huge difference on hatch ability depending on the 'method' used in packaging of the eggs; ie, foam, paper egg crates, sawdust, bubble wrap, tissue paper, etc. Foam egg crates have the highest percentage of hatching of all the methods, in my experince with shipped eggs.
HTH

I do pretty much the same thing. But I let mine rest for 5 hours max, and I patch dented or cracked eggs with nail polish. I've had great hatches on damaged eggs patched with the polish. I start the turner the day after I set the eggs.

 

[marrgalo]

My specialty is Coturnix quail, but when I get shipped eggs, I will let them sit at room temp for about 6 hours to let the air cells settle, then put them in the incubator with the turner on so they start turning immediately.

I preheat my incubator when I get the shipping notice so I can make sure that temperature and humidity are stable by the time I get the eggs. Do not trust your incubators temp and humidity readings. Get multiple calibrated thermometers and a calibrated hygrometer.

Sounds good - I am using an additional thermometer and hygrometer, but I do not have multiple! I'll grab another one to stick in there that I have used in research and that I trust.