# question about air cells in eggs



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

i have a egg that has a developing chick in it/moving inside
it was laid june 2/11 so its 8 days into incubation
the air cell has lots orange/red color like viable section when candled
but at the pointy end of the end it looks like it drawning down to chick like when its ready to hatch....
could this be a problem with humidity again
can a chick develop properly or will it die dis if that end keeps getting lighter/longer the air cell being misplaced like membrane let go at some point 
its almost half the egg white when candled and chick is near air cell end at rounded end of egg still moving at this point...
what should i do or can anything be done?
will try to post a picture of egg later


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

If you can post a pix or a drawing (do a sketch and scan and save it as a jpeg) of what is going on with the egg that would help.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

ok it took a little time to get these pictures so i'll post a few to give as much info on
the egg...
this is one side


















this is the other side of egg









like i said chick lyes near rounded end and pointy end has this white space which looks like the membrane let go
what should i do or is it too late...?
or is this normal?none of the others eggs ever did this


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

do you think it can survive this way at 8 days old into incubation period?
is there anything i can do to help it?
the baby was still moving inside at 4 am this morning
is it getting ready to hatch early or severly dehydrated


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

The white area is a thinning of the shell which might be a cause of the egg losing moisture. The air cell looks too big....so dehydration will be a hinderence to hatching. What you might do is start misting the inside walls of the nestbox (not the bedding) to increase the moisture levels in the box.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

could you also mist the eggs while they are out being candled as well as misting walls in nest box
has it dehydrated too much that i will have to assist hatch when hatching comes or will it hstch on own if the misting works


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

No...you don't want to mist the eggs. Since it is losing moisture the shell is thin, which makes it more porous....which in turn can cause the egg to absorb surface moisture and if there is also bacteria on the shell be absorbed inside the egg and cause problems and/or death.

Just do the inside of the wall of the nestbox and see if the air cell decreases in size. Also keep an eye on the shell where the air cell meets the solid tissue, at the lowest point to see when the chick starts to pip. As soon as you see a pipmark mark the area with a Sharpie Marker, and write down the time. At this point it should hatch within 24 hours or less. If not, after 24 hrs. you might have to assist.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

No...you don't want to mist the eggs. Since it is losing moisture the shell is thin, which makes it more porous....which in turn can cause the egg to absorb surface moisture and if there is also bacteria on the shell be absorbed inside the egg and cause problems and/or death.

Just do the inside of the wall of the nestbox and see if the air cell decreases in size. Also keep an eye on the shell where the air cell meets the solid tissue, at the lowest point to see when the chick starts to pip. As soon as you see a pipmark mark the area with a Sharpie Marker, and write down the time. At this point it should hatch within 24 hours or less. If not, after 24 hrs. you might have to assist.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

would it be ok to spray cardboard shoe box that covers the nestbox ?
and how often throughout day do you mist walls?
she never took to a real nest box after having 2 in the homemade one shown in a thread here
so next clutches i just kept replacing the shoe box covers as needed?
or should another water bowl be added to cage ?
they currently have one extra bowl for batheing in and original water dish...
could one or both of these help egg out too?


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

also since the air cell is in a different position ...or is the white part a air cell
or indication the membrane let go inside egg...whats happening to the egg exactly?
other then dehydrating due to low humidity i guess
is this right?
of what you called the clear see through end at pointy side end 
will baby pip out there at wrong end instead of rounded end?
and will it be malpositioned in the egg for hatching?
what should i expect with this hatching in your experience of same problem
since we won't be expecting a normal hatching


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I've had mal-positioned babies hatch out near the pointed end of the egg.

Can you feel that area where the white showed up when candling....gently with your nail tip to feel if it is flexible soft shell, or if it is the start of piping?

Yes, you can spray the cardboard. Actually it holds moisture and releases it better than wood.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

how often should the cardboard be misted throughout the day?

when i candled the egg last night it was as hard as rest of egg ...the white areas
so if its 14 days incubated today 
when should it hatch out with these kinds of problems
and when should you step in and assist hatch chick
with regards to the air cell/white area getting bigger
at what point can it be endangering its life
and you must step in and assist hatch it before chick dis's ?


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

i have sprayed nestbox with a misting on walls only
but how often a day should this be done?to maintain moisture levels for egg


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

whats the humidity got to be at


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

if the humidity is below 55% then mist inside walls of nestbox til hatch time 1x/day
don't mist the bedding though
check with weathernetwork.com for your humidity levels for your area
as suggested by srtiels in a thread called"eggs humidity?" thread dated dec/10
looking back at all her threads shes wrote on great info she has on all kinds of stuff


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

but will have to research google it for above 55%


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

It says 50%-75% on http://www.cockatielcottage.net/breeding2.html


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

lperry82 said:


> It says 50%-75% on http://www.cockatielcottage.net/breeding2.html




for which high or low humidity?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

It just say chicks do well between 50-75 thats the best answer im getting so far lol


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

i'm still researching too on the high humidity level in eggs .... what can reduce it too
if you find the answer please post it...
for now i'm thinking a room dehumidifier ... if humidity levels are high in room?
could that help but ....
what the proper humidity levels/and temperature in room for hatch time 
which should be ?whats the best temps/humidity levels?
anyone else know?


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

whats should be the normal humidity levels for eggs in room temperature aprox 18-24c?
to correct low humidity problems in eggs also while misting nest box walls?
hope you understand my wordings of my question:blush:


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

im worried about this egg
this week were expecting 31c humidity levels outside 
and the egg is just starting to correct itself with the mistings of the nest box


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

i just candled the egg
and it seems misting the nestbox corrected the humidity problems i was having...
there is a beautiful lil baby moving inside
and aircell looks normal but has 1 side peeking slightly downwards in a drawn downed look
will have to keep keeping a close eye on this one as there is only one fertile egg in this clutch of 5
its due to hatch between the 20th-23 june


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Aww good luck


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

thanks lperry
i hoping it makes it cause there is only 1 baby expected to be hatching
fingers crossed xx


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Im praying for you


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

as i am for yours/you


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Thankyou


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