air sacks on side

[chickenfan]

I've just candled some eggs received through the post that have been incubated for 8 days. Three of them have quite large air sacks, but on the side, not the end of the egg. Is this damage in the postal system, or previously incubated eggs? I wonder if they can hatch in this position?

Rest of the eggs floated in water when I tested them (they didn't look suitable for setting) so I'm not sure if they were stale or damaged in transportation. I sent these back as they weren't suitable for setting.

 

[chickenfan]

Am getting a bit worried about these eggs. I've been trying to research things and found 'some authorities suggest that mobile air bubbles may indicate a bacterial infection in the egg, most likely due to an infection in the hen's reproductive tract'. However my air sacs are stationary, not mobile.

 

[Marigold]

If they've been incubated for 10+ days by now, should you be able to candle them to see what's happening?

 

[chrismahon]

Sounds as though they were stored incorrectly by the breeder Chickenfan, or collected infrequently. As far as I can see, the only way for an air sack on the side to form is to leave the eggs on their side for some period. I don't think it will make any difference to the hatch, as hens put eggs on their sides in the nest, so they must have side air sacks. We store our eggs in egg boxes which promotes a top (blunt end) air sac, but the important point is that there is room enough for the chick to move to get its head out from under the wing and pip. The chick will grow to the size of the remaining yolk and white, so that must be less than the internal egg volume, hence the need to reduce the yolk (perhaps) and white volume by partial evaporation of the water content.

 

[DunK]

How are your eggs getting on chickenfan. Im interested as i have a few of my 7 day incubated eggs that also have sideway airsacs.

 

[chickenfan]

Thanks for your mine of information and reason to hope Chris. I think two of the eggs might be growing as the air sac may be slightly more towards the end than before. I've marked them with a pencil to try and judge. My feeling is that the eggs sent may have been already incubated but perhaps not turned as the air sacs seem so large. I'll be interested in how yours get on Dun.

 

[chrismahon]

Giving his more thought- why do eggs have a water content? I think that nature (evolution) has determined that a water content exists to deliberately create extra space at hatching. The membrane and shell enclose a certain volume of yolk and white in production and if this volume is reduced by natural evaporation the chick can hatch. The alternative would be a different design of chick, but clearly the aforementioned method survived. Would be interesting to look at alligator egg development. Nature is a wonderful thing!

 

[Marigold]

Does the growing chick need water as well as yolk sac to grow? Maybe the yolk sac has to be kept moist to enable the chick to use its nourishment, and this has to be constantly replenished from the albumen and is thus gradually used up as the chick develops, in addition to evaporation through the shell. Hence the need for the egg to have the correct humidity around it - I.e, the right amount of EXTRA water from the air around, or from damp feathers if under a broody.
Then, as you say Chris, extra space is created for the chick - because the albumen could also be contributing to the growth of the embryo?

 

[DunK]

I read that when you get eggs through the mail you should leave them pointy end down for 24 hours before putting them into the incubator. Is this to do with the air sac or is there a different reason for this. I left mine a good 24 hours before putting them in but wasn't quite sure why.