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First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2025 9:38 am
by NestNurturer
Hi everyone,
This is my first time incubating eggs from my 9-month-old hens, and Im a little confused about what Im seeing during candling. I set 30 eggs in the incubator after collecting them over the course of a week. I stored them pointy-end down before incubation and placed them the same way in the incubator. However, when I candled them, I noticed that most of the eggs seem to have air sacs at the pointy end instead of the round end.
Ive also only been able to see veins in one egg so far, which has me worried. The only mistake I can think of is that I stored them in a warmer spaceabove 50Fsince my home is small and I dont have a cooler area to keep them before incubation. Could that have negatively affected the eggs? Are they ruined, or is there a chance some will still develop?
Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
EDIT: I realized I misidentified what I was seeing and got a better light for candling—turns out things are looking better than I thought! Thanks for the help!
Re: First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 2:31 am
by EggsAndThings
Temperature fluctuations before setting eggs in the incubator can cause improper air sac formation. If you had them in a consistently warm space, early development could have started before incubation. That doesn't always mean failure, though,some embryos adapt. Keep checking and mark which ones show progress to compare over time.
Re: First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2025 9:06 pm
by RootedSoul
Your setup sounds fine overall, but storage temperature can definitely play a role. If you don't have a cooler space, try rotating them frequently during storage. Some people even keep hatching eggs in a basement or insulated box to maintain a more stable temperature. Keep an eye on the developing ones,there's still hope!
Re: First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2025 12:21 am
by Coopinator
NestNurturer wrote: Sun Feb 16, 2025 9:38 am
Hi everyone,
This is my first time incubating eggs from my 9-month-old hens, and Im a little confused about what Im seeing during candling. I set 30 eggs in the incubator after collecting them over the course of a week. I stored them pointy-end down before incubation and placed them the same way in the incubator. However, when I candled them, I noticed that most of the eggs seem to have air sacs at the pointy end instead of the round end.
Ive also only been able to see veins in one egg so far, which has me worried. The only mistake I can think of is that I stored them in a warmer spaceabove 50Fsince my home is small and I dont have a cooler area to keep them before incubation. Could that have negatively affected the eggs? Are they ruined, or is there a chance some will still develop?
Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
EDIT: I realized I misidentified what I was seeing and got a better light for candling—turns out things are looking better than I thought! Thanks for the help!
I wouldn't toss them just yet! Air sacs can shift depending on how the eggs were stored or turned before incubation. Some people have hatched eggs with oddly placed air sacs, so give them a chance to develop further.
Re: First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:52 pm
by Eggspresso
Next time, consider using an egg turner or gently tilting eggs during storage to help air sacs settle properly. A slightly cooler storage space (around 50°F) is ideal, but if that's not possible, consistent temperature is key. Don't stress too much,hatching is a learning experience!
Re: First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2025 8:31 am
by HenEnthusiast
Sometimes, an air sac in the wrong place indicates shipping damage or humidity issues. If they weren't shipped, it could be due to storage temperature. If the embryos are alive, they might still make it! Keep monitoring and look for movement or further development.
Re: First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2025 6:28 pm
by CluckAndGrow
I had a similar issue with my first hatch. It turned out some eggs were fine despite my worries. Sometimes, what looks like a misplaced air sac isn't actually a problem. Keep going, candle again in a few days, and watch for movement!
Re: First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2025 9:52 am
by Eggcentric
Glad you figured it out! A good candler makes a huge difference. Hope you get a great hatch rate!
Re: First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2025 4:37 pm
by EggWiseScholar
Storing eggs too warm can speed up embryo development, which might explain your issue. Try cooler storage next time, but keep going with these!
Re: First-Time Incubation Confusion Air Sacs in the Wrong Place?
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2025 7:45 pm
by ChickWrangler
Always good to double-check with a better light! First-time incubation can be tricky, but you're learning. Fingers crossed for a good hatch!