Tips For Hatching Shipped Chicken Eggs With Detached Air Cells

ips For Hatching Shipped Chicken Eggs With Detached Air Cells. Often Times chicken eggs that have been shipped will suffer from detached air cells. This can spell disaster when trying to hatch new chicks. The good news is that hope is not all lost.
Watch this video and I will show you what I did to deal with this dreaded problem,

[@mikemacinnes6120]

Good info. I’m backyard Hatcher. I do 90 week. This gotta be best video on hatching info. Thank you sir

[@kathrinedelmenico4329]

I just hatched 9 of 10 shipped eggs with displaced air cells. One egg didnt develope past day 12. All hatched and are 2 weeks old tomorrow. All hatched between day 20 and 21.

[@clairemorgan]

BEST video ever!! I could listen to your voice all day! I’m following this advice.

[@keekeejenkins6162]

You have a very calming, soothing voice. Great info, thank you!

[@ThomasShue]

Awww. That's so nice of you. I really appreciate this. I hope you will subscribe to my channel it makes a huge difference.. thanks again.

[@squirreltown517]

Yes he does!

[@nunyabusiness7623]

Followed your advice. 5 shipped peafowl eggs with completely blown air cells filled with liquid. Only 1 developed (fertile) and tomorrow it goes into lockdown for hatch. Thank you for this video!

[@JulieMikalson]

Amazing tips - no turning last 6 days, water bottles, raise humidity AFTER Pip - good timing for me. Got 18 in the 'bator - hatch rate will be awful with the rough automatic turner...kept upright all but 8 hrs, using edge tipping so far. Will switch to your method of turning tonite, day 9. Would like to see your lockdown and hatch rate.

[@ThomasShue]

Hatch rate was around 65% with detached air cells. This method does work, and saves chicks that otherwise would just die. I hope my video helps you. If you could be me a HUGE favor, please subscribe. I am trying so hard to get to 10,000 subs

[@rumblebee_stixx1560]

This is good info, but for detached air cells I’ve read in a lot of places to run a “dry hatch”. Keeping the humidity around 20%-30% instead of 40%-50% to prevent the embryo from drowning inside the egg & raise the humidity in lock down only when the first egg has externally pipped. This is what I’m doing with shipped eggs in my Farm Innovations incubator, so I guess we’ll see how that turns out.

[@ThomasShue]

Well a dry hatch will have the chicks stuck to the inside of the egg shell. Its not a good idea. The incubator makes dry heat. I always keep water in my tray

[@LaurieJoanna]

You've got a new subscriber here❣️ Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video - and all of the comments regarding your voice being gentle & soothing we're 100% correct... If I can find the link to a *great* thread on fully assisting hatches, I'll come back and post it...

[@louiselewis7761]

Brilliant information and well presented thanks

[@ThomasShue]

Thank you very much for the kind words. Please subscribe, it helps so very much

[@NicoleEivissa]

Very helpful info about the air cells and turning eggs! Thanks, I’m definitely using the info my shipped by mail eggs🤝

[@youbetyourwrasse]

Thank you so much for sharing, I now feel I have a chance to save my "day 1" detached air cell peafowl eggs. It seems unusual, but the "vertical hatch" makes sense, to help them not "drown." I hope that as they develop in the round-end up position, the vessels will stabilize the cell, and I won't have to worry. To get to the end and have them breathe fluid and perish, make me sick. :(

[@ThomasShue]

It will be ok... The fluid dries up at the end. Please subscribe, and good luck. Tom

[@OrganicRawRootsFarm]

This helped me alot i had lost eggs in the mail just got them wish me luck

[@amyh9071]

Thank you so much for this! I just got 6 show stock silkie eggs and not a single one has a normal air cell. Hoping this helps!!

[@JeneenDH]

I have followed times method for the last year with good success rates

[@ThomasShue]

What's the Times method?

[@KindOfHomesteading]

Great information! Thank you!

[@WindsofChange]

Oh I HOPE this works...I have eggs coming in day after tomorrow that cost me a fortune...

[@ThomasShue]

Winds of Change it will, just let them sit for a day with Air cell side up, then carefully candle them to see if in fact the air cells are intact or not. If they are intact, hatch them normally. If they are detached, follow what I said, and it helps enormously. Lastly please subscribe it makes a huge difference.

[@ThomasShue]

Winds of Change what kind of bird eggs are you receiving?

[@WindsofChange]

I will do exactly this if there is detached air cells- it's worth a try (wish I'd known with other egg shipments). I am getting LF cochin eggs from show quality parents and Jubilee Orpington eggs also supposedly from show parents (I know my LF cochin standard and I used to own two show hens so I KNOW the parents are good from the pictures but I'm not up on the jubilee orpington standard (if there is one) to be able to tell from pictures what they are about. Doesn't matter so much...the JO's are for a color project I am working on...I covet them for the color primarily LOL.)

[@WindsofChange]

So they arrived. 18 of them. 6 have mostly minor air cell issues, mostly misshapen a bit off to one side but no lower than the air goes when the egg naturally loses moisture (to the place on the beginning of this vid where you put the "nice and big" air cell line approximately but little in width of the breach not all that big). There IS one that has a slim-ish finger saddlebag down halfway on the egg on one side, and that one probably needs some help. I did the water test on them and all passed. I did leave the ones with issues in the water for 10 minutes to allow them to soak up whatever moisture they might want in hopes that the air cell wall may re-attach (I've seen that happen) and now they are air cell up in a rack in a coolish place, I'll set them tonight or tomorrow morning. On the ones with issues...what do you think? Should I put those on upright as well? Or no? What would you do? I've had TONS worse than this. Nearly whole shipments come in with the air cells literally exploded and little bubbles floating around the whole egg and HUGE saddlebags. It's worth saving them. I can sell ONE of these to cover the entire cost of the eggs, and if I sell two I'll cover the shipping AND the cost of a different batch of eggs I plan on getting. That still leaves me with a solid whole flock of the things. And I'm sure I'll have more than 2 roosters I'll need to rehome...That could finance other additions into my flock that I'm wanting to get.

[@ThomasShue]

Winds of Change so what breed are the ones your hatching?

[@deborahlee6240]

Thank you for this information. I just received some Silkie eggs. I don't usually buy eggs that need to be shipped. I placed them as you show here to sit for 24 hours. I haven't checked them yet to see what shape the air cells are in.

[@ThomasShue]

Please subscribe, it makes a big difference for me. I really appreciate it .

[@nirajbadaik6796]

After how many days we should check if the new air cell has formed? Thanks

[@rebeccapedersen3395]

Fantastic voice very calm soothing 😊 great info 👍

[@ThomasShue]

Why, Thank You! Please subscribe, its free, and helps me get to 10,000… Almost there

[@Mrs-Lewis]

Amazing information. Thank you.

[@marcigladhart6138]

When going into lockdown, do the eggs need to be removed from the partial egg cartons and placed on their side?

[@jakobsvoice9814]

How did this hatch go?

[@fawnbowden3238]

I'm wondering too!

[@jackrussellman2]

hovabator is junk

[@katiegraham8484]

Can this work if the membrane is broken, or just detached from the shell?

[@blaze-jb4xz]

Late viewer sorry.. but should you keep these eggs vertical the whole time during the 21 or 28 days inside incubator? I have those white duck eggs tho no chickens

[@malihafurqan6687]

Hi Tom! So glad I found your video, I've got eggs from my own Cochin Bantams and most of them have the air cells on the opposite end. One is at day 7 of incubation and the chick is moving and developing well but the air cell is at the other end. Same is the case with my day 6 and 5. I've had them on the side and slightly tilted, pointy end down in the tray since day one and the air cells are still at the wrong place. Please tell me what I should do. This is my first time incubating.

[@ThomasShue]

You need to stop moving them they can develop an air pocket. I do this by placing them as shown in the video.

[@malihafurqan6687]

Alright, thanks.

[@k.michellethompson8517]

Hi! New subscriber here. I apologize as this is a bit of a lengthy comment. The place where I got the eggs from have this video link on the site for learning about hatching eggs with detached air cells. I just got some eggs shipped to me for thr first time and I got them yesterday. We've reached the 24 hour rest mark. I candled them to get ready to put them in the incubator and discovered most have detached air cells. 3 of them I cannot see the air cell at all, and one has its air cell attached, but at the wrong end. So my questions are... What should I do with the eggs that in which I cannot see the air sac? What should I do with the egg that has the air cell on the wrong end? And I've watched the video 3 times, but am still unsure if I should turn them (the way you described in the video) the first few days. Some people say yes, some people say no. Hope to hear back from you.

[@geraldineaguilar4528]

Excellent info, thank you. Where can I find the Rhode Island Red breeder you mentioned in the video?

[@jefferythornton3425]

Thank you!

[@bethhall2465]

Thanks for the informative video. Please answer this question! at 4:38 you say "you swap them out". What do you mean by that? My understanding is place eggs with detached air cells vertically, not in electric egg turner, and gently turn at an angle 3xs a day. Is this correct? I don't understand what you mean when you say swap them in and out. Thanks!

[@ThomasShue]

Swap as in swap the eggs from leaning from the left to leaning to the right. I'm swapping the angle. You want the eggs to remain vertical, but not at a fixed angle. Set eggs on end at an angle to the left, then when you move them, SWAP them to the opposite side of the tray and the tilt them to the right. You see the eggs need to be turned, if not they will die and or be deformed. By Swapping the vertical angles you are moving the chicks inside the egg, however, you are maintaining the newly created air cell. Hope this helps you, you can help me by subscribing, it cost you nothing and helps me a ton. Please like also.. Good luck with your new chickens.

[@bethhall2465]

@@ThomasShue Thx so much! How is this different from the electric egg turner? Isn't this what it's doing? Gently moving it back and forth throughout the day?

[@ThomasShue]

@@bethhall2465 broken Air Cells on shipped eggs need to be stationary yet vertical. An egg turner won't hold the eggs vertically stationary long enough to maintain the new air cell we are trying to form.. Normal.eggs the egg turner works fine, eggs with detached air cells the turner will kill the chicks inside, they will drown

[@renegarcia9509]

Hi partner, very good point about egg breathing .what are the chances of hating, completely wrap and taped ,4 to 5 days? I know they are not sealed, if Iwas to hold underwater I sure water will reach eggshell. To me that's the first thing I ask not to do.now IAM talking about game birds, eggs are smaller, next foil paper for x-ray. Again I don't like the idea . Why .to me it won't help.writing do not x-ray live! Big and all over box got better chance, iam just old school I guess. Or because got a whooping putting a produce bag over my head.thanks

[@ThomasShue]

I think the might be ok as long as they aren't wrapped completely airtight. As long as some air can reach the eggs they should be ok.. Remember chickens lay on top of the eggs, so they are covered pretty well, but still get air supply. I think a foil wrap for a few days will be ok. Best of luck. T Oh, and please subscribe, it makes a huge difference.

[@phreezak4763]

I have duck eggs in the incubator with an automatic turner and 2 of the 9 eggs have their air cell on the side of their egg. What does that mean and is it bad?

[@chawntelh]

Awesome! Thank you...I have a few questions. First, where did you buy those thermometers at....I am sick of getting the expensive ones, like digital ones, and not being accurate... The simple ones on the coard board are the best... And I'll be able to get several! Lol Second...I have just bought Serama eggs... They are hard to hatch in the first place, let alone being shipped.... Have you incubated any of those eggs. And do you have any suggestions for me....I have let them sit, it's been over 24 hrs.... I've checked the air cells, one was completely detached, but the others seem good. I have a few that look like they were trying to be saddle like air cells, but it's very very slight... Ooh, another question, the ones I just described, that have very slight detaching ( if you want to call it that) of the air cells, is there anything I should or need to do differently? Thank you for you video... I hope to hear back from you soon!

[@timbaker6030]

So I found this video a little to late I laid my eggs down to incubate and I have 4-5 that have saddles running the length of the egg is there anything I can do at this point

[@CJMCAquindeRufloFarm]

How about the xray? Does if affects the fertility of the eggs? Thanks

[@abcdeefamily6875]

I have the exact problems with my black copper maran that was shipped to me. When it comes to hatching day, do I lay it flat or still have it sitting up? I'm doing a full dry hatch, should I add water to create humidity?

[@jordanayars9164]

Thank you so much for the info! I am hatching duck eggs. I was really aware of the air cell being detached until recently. I am on day 23. I have a few with the detached air cell. They are in an incubator that automatically rotates them. They are all alive right now. Just wondering what I can do to help them in the next few days. Thank you so much!

[@organixgirl]

Did they hatch?

[@xMinniex15]

Hi mate, I done it exactly the same way you did, but because I didn’t remove from the egg carton for lockdown, they struggled and died after internally pipping. Did you remove yours from the carton for hatching? Thank you, this was a great video 😊

[@KimberlyGingrich]

That was my thought. I wonder if they should be gently moved once pipped?

[@debbieappleton72]

How often do I turn the eggs a day up until the last 6 days when I leave them still?

[@StrutsvilleUSA3911]

5 to 7 times a day. Always an odd number

[@riddy1ahmed]

Hi Tom, Ive had 10 shipped chicken eggs, its day 10 now in the incubator. From the 10 i only incubated 9 as 1 was cracked, from the 9 , 1 was dead as it had blood ring and 3 more were only yolk, so now i have 4 remaining that are growing fine. How ever i have had them laying and not upright. From the 4 , 2 of them definitely have detached air sack, the other 2 dnt look too bad. But what I have done is put all 4 of them upright like u have in a angle. Is it ok to do it to all 4? Even though 2 of the air sac look fine? Please let me know and sorry for the long essay 😂

[@Ex-fk4nr]

Is that thermometer/humidity metter accurate because i have one like that....

[@marianwilson5465]

So I'm confused... Do you turned your eggs while it's in 24 hrs rest before putting them in incubator?

[@JulieMikalson]

Some say not during the room temp rest...or even the first 2-5 days upright in the 'bator. I used slight tipping - with a book under different edges of the egg carton...and a gradually more than that in the Incubator after first 3 days.

[@Kappucinokiss1]

So after shipment do I rest them for 24 hours on what angle? The way you said and move it into the incubator at the same angle right?

[@elisaquilici2358]

do i leave it sitting upright like that when they hatch? i just don’t turn them?

[@ThomasShue]

Once the pip (break through, lay them down. Don't try to help them out, you could kill them (bleed to death). Just keep humidity up so the shells don't stick to the chicks. PLEASE subscribe, and good luck.

[@blaze-jb4xz]

Does anyone know if homemade incubator with card board box tray of water and light bulb lamp will work for incubator temporarily till I get new incubator?

[@ThomasShue]

It should, but its all about the temps it holds, you need a thermometer to make sure the temps are consistent

[@blaze-jb4xz]

@@ThomasShue I have thermometer too ..thank you so much I appreciate all help in can get 😇👌

[@bellasxitems1]

So I have a DUCK egg that I accidently put on its pointed side up. Its on day 16 now. What should I do for it? Should I turn it on its fat side up or just lay it on its side since its so far into development now?

[@chelseysouchek1224]

If it's day 7 in incubation and I have had one with a detached air cell on the side, is it too late to put up on point?

[@adm6785]

New sub here. Thanks for the great tips!

[@ThomasShue]

Thank you very very much for the Sub.

[@ashleyboggs7855]

My brother who has chickens gave me eggs from his Frigerator . I don't have an incubator but my brother said if I keep on them warm and wrapped up in a towel, They should be fine..... I'm scared that's not going to work.... I got them on the 7th and today is the 9th.....

[@Kriistall7]

Refrigerator eggs won't hatch.

[@RougeBlu]

Thanks so much for the info. i wish I found this video a couple of days ago. I have eggs incubating now and it's the 2nd day, do u think I can still do this method after incubation has started ? at least I know now for the future . thanks so much again!

[@ThomasShue]

Please subscribe to my channel

[@ThomasShue]

Sure you can start doing this method. It will stablize the air cell.

[@zeemixvideos6485]

i putt eggs in incubator but air cell are on both side of the egg

[@jeanselman8215]

question.....can this be done with goose eggs? We are dealing with a longer neck, so I am wondering if a modified slant would be in order in this situation? march 6th 2002

[@ThomasShue]

Absolutely, if the air cell is ruptured, this will work with geese also. Please subscribe it makes a huge difference to out channel..

[@bkress5656]

I am on day 4 of shipped eggs and didn't know about this. Is it too late to try it? I have some with detached air sacs

[@rhoadsmatheson2246]

I'm just curious, did they hatch?

[@marianwilson5465]

The info was misleading... the reason why y’all deal with the non perfect air sac size is because y’all starts turning them eggs as soon as they went to the incubator.... they need to be upright position for 7 days or at least when the air cells are reattached... you have 1% luck hatching saddle shape air sack on lockdown... they need to be in perfect shaped before lockdown that’s why lots of them eggs never hatched

[@tristancassidylloyd223]

Hello, I have a lot of experience in incubating and hatching eggs, however, I recently got into buying eggs online and have received a lot of Jubilee Orpington eggs that have bad detached air cells. I followed your advice in incubating them upright. I am now on day 6 for the original 18 Jubilee Orpington eggs and it looks like 5 are developing ok, but 2 look like they may have stopped developing, almost like the "red ring of death". The seller was amazing and sent replacements that I just got today, still 1/5 of them have bad air cells. My question is, do I need to leave them upright the ENTIRE incubation period? I am doing as you advised and I hand rotate and tilt them slightly 3 times a day. ALSO, my eggs have yet to "settle" and the air cells are till very jiggly and loose (not drying out). Is this normal? Thank you!

[@ThomasShue]

Yes leave them up the whole time until they PIP and then lay him down. But make sure you rotate them like I show you in the video. Good luck I hope you come back and tell me how many you saved, please subscribe and makes a big difference have a good day, if you have any more questions feel free to reach out. Take care

[@tristancassidylloyd223]

@@ThomasShue Thank you so much for the informative response! I definitely subscribed. I'll let you know what my success rate is in a few weeks. Thanks again!

[@abcdeefamily6875]

I'm curious, how did the hatch go?

[@jamiewhite8792]

Did they hatch ok in the cartons?

[@ThomasShue]

Yes

[@theocharisnystas3565]

finally the these eggs hatched? i receive some eggs and all of them the air cell are detached and i dont know what it gonna happen...

[@jeanselman8215]

this is april 3rd of 2020..I have displaced geese egg air sacks , can I use this method for them...but since we are dealing with a long neck, when should I lay them down to prevent head drop?

[@ThomasShue]

Same exact method.yiu have to form a new air cell. All eggs are 100% the same. Please subscribe, it really helps me out

[@taraannrehbein]

You say not to move the eggs the last six days, usually its the last three, is this correct, thanks!

[@ThomasShue]

Im sure everyone does it differently. I do it exactly like my video shows and this is how I saved many shipped eggs with broken aircells

[@taraannrehbein]

@@ThomasShue thank you for the response! Your Rhode Island Red's hatched vertically yes? and they did great it seems:)

[@ThomasShue]

@@taraannrehbein yep they had a great life

[@ThomasShue]

@@taraannrehbein they lived a great life

[@victorialand9588]

I am new to this and just set my first set of hatching eggs 6 days ago, which came from ebay. I wish I had know about this before i lay them down in the Brinsea Mini II Eco. I have just candled them and 3 are not fertile and the other 3 look like they have a detached air cell. Is it worth me standing them up like this after I have been turning them 5 times a day for last 6 days? Please any advice gratefully received. So sad and disappointed.

[@ThomasShue]

I fear it may already be too late. You need to check the air cell as soon as they arrived. You can try, it won't hurt to try.

[@tammybarker1088]

What do you do if you are using a broody?

[@ROBDee-ho9lu]

This will not work under a broody hen because the hen will lay them horizontal and roll them. THAT is nature.

[@joanstead]

Update? I'd love to know how they hatched.

[@ThomasShue]

Hi, thanks for posting a comment. I have posted a couple follow up videos on them. Here they are at day 23 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jn-apXVteZiqhqM . If it wouldnt be too much truble, could you subscribe to my channel. this way you will get updates as I post them. Im doing lots of homesteading projects these days. As a mattter of fact, I have 22 Breese eggs on lockdown right now. Ill be posting some hatching vids of the, wish me luck on a good hatch. These times are always nail biting hours. Again thanks for taking time to comment, I really apprciate your time. Have a great day. Tom

[@brianstone4531]

They all died!!!

[@OzoneMama3008]

Hi Tom, Thanks for posting this. Do you have any experience with goose eggs? I received shipment this morning and they are all detached air cells. The woman I bought them from suggested a similar method. Any info is GREATLY appreciated.

[@ThomasShue]

OzoneMama3008 I'd be happy to speak to you over the phone. send me a direct message with your number I'll call. The bottom line is this. We are trying to re construct an aircell. We do this by setting the eggs vertically, then we turn the eggs at a much shallower angle than the 45° angles that we turn on a standard eggs with normal air cells. You can hatch your goose eggs with detached aircells. Follow the video, the method worked for me. Also if you get a chance, please subscribe​ to my channel..

[@richardd9867]

Hi. Just came across your video but i think it may be to late for my chicks. I am at Day 15 with 6 saddled air sack eggs, I have been rotating them left and right as ususal. Should i stop rotating them now and just turn them slightly in a circular motion? until day 18, and then up the humidity for lockdown but leave them in the craddle with air sack facing upwards until they hatch?

[@ThomasShue]

I don't know what I would do in your case. They would of already drown buy now. I'd candle the eggs and see if anyone is still alive

[@richardd9867]

@@ThomasShue Thanks for the super fast reply its really appreciated. I will go candle now and get straight back to you .

[@richardd9867]

@@ThomasShue HI . There is still 3 alive

[@frbnkie]

i just put 10 muscovy duck eggs in an incubator from ebay but i only let them sit for like : hours and i’ve put them in and candles them after 5 days and each one has a detached air cell. do these have any chance of hatching ?

[@ThomasShue]

You have nothing to lose to try this method. It's very important to candle all shipped eggs the moment you get them.

[@beautybabiesandthebarn3629]

Does this technique work for duck eggs with detached air cells as well?

[@ThomasShue]

Mandy Marling sure will.

[@beautybabiesandthebarn3629]

Thomas Shue's World, thank you!!!

[@midkhan424]

Hello whats angela krebs website? Thanks!

[@kennethflynn2469]

ordered hundreds of eggs through the mail , pheasants, quail, partridge never had that problem. I would say find a better breeder . Usually should expect 45=50% hatch from mailed eggs so you order that many extra

[@lorishealinghomestead5047]

How often do you turn/rotate the eggs a day?

[@ThomasShue]

2-3 times a day.

[@georgiahill6771]

@@ThomasShue curious as to how this can be enough when a mother hen will turn her eggs almost 100 times a day

[@twinrosesfarm6522]

Thanks for posting. I have 6 call duck eggs that I just received from the mail. All but one have detached air cells. It was advised that I use a broody hen to hatch as calls are hard to incubate. Can I do that now that they have detached air cells?

[@ThomasShue]

Twin Roses Farm I would not do that. I would incubate then just as I showed. You need to reconstruct the site cell. To do that, they need to be on end.

[@jenniferbakos6648]

when they start to pip do you remove them from the carton and lay on their sides or do you leave them right in the carton till completely hatched?

[@ThomasShue]

Jennifer Bakos after they pip, and start to come out, you can lay them down. just wait until the hole is nice and big. when they start to unzip is the best time. A pip means they are wanting air, and it can take 24+ hours for them to unzip and hatch. Personally, I would wait until they are starting to unzip, or make a bigger pip hole.

[@firsttimefarmer4666]

What was the hatch rate?

[@ThomasShue]

Over 75%

[@firsttimefarmer4666]

@@ThomasShue good to know! I got an entire clutch of duck eggs with dislocated air cell. I candle and map the deformity like I do with all my other eggs. But I'll try up right next time! I resigned to the fact I'll have to manually hatch eggs with a starter air hole. Luckily I have 90% success with this method from what I learned on channel #AChickNamedAlbert #ACNA

[@ROBDee-ho9lu]

What you're doing is very unnatural. No way the eggs stand under a chicken. They are always horizontal and are rolled by the chicken.

[@kcha479]

You missed the point of the video.

[@ROBDee-ho9lu]

@@kcha479 Probably but my reply is true anyway.

[@ThomasShue]

Yes, bit we are talking about eggs that would normally die if left under a chicken. We are saving chicks that are in eggs with broken air cells.

[@ThomasShue]

@@ROBDee-ho9lu you aren't even trying to understand the purpose of the video. You watched a few seconds, didn't understand what you were watching and formed an uninformed opinion.

[@louisederaad4323]

Super unhelpful comment Mickey Mic. Detached air sac can happen when SHIPPING eggs by POST. Unnatural as it is anyway. If you'd put these eggs under a broody they'll not develop at all. So the only way to hatch such eggs is as Tom explains in this video.