Store eggs pointed end down

If the egg is placed upside down, the embryo will also be in the wrong position. It will not be able to pierce the air cell at hatch.

Effect of egg positioning on hatching results

Hatching results

Hatchability (% of transferred eggs)

Point down Point up

98 78

Store eggs pointed end down

Eggs are incubated with the pointed (small) end down. This automatically positions the air cell at the top. So the eggs must also be oriented with the pointed end down when they are loaded in setter trays on-farm or transferred from other trays to setter trays. If they are placed on a grading belt again and reoriented before being loaded in the setter tray, this is slightly less relevant. It is best to always store eggs with the pointed end down. The chalazae at the pointed end are stronger than on the blunt end so the yolk is held in place more securely. And, in view of in-ovo vaccinations, an egg has to be stored and incubated with the point down.

Cull (%) Grade-A chicks (%)

If eggs are transferred directly from paper egg flats to setter trays using suction cups, the orientation of the An experiment into the effects of setting eggs small end up on hatchability and post-hatching performance indicated clear differences (Bauer et al, 1990). 1.7 4.0 97 74 copyright protected eggs is very important.

It is difficult to see which is the small or large end in round eggs. The shape of an egg is partly genetically determined. If you candle the eggs in the meantime (no later than day 12-13), you can clearly see the air cell. If you turn around the eggs that were incorrectly oriented, they will still hatch. But it is too late to correct the orientation after 14-15 days. At egg collection, a mechanism that orients the eggs helps position them correctly. The rollers ensure the egg rolls towards the pointed end. An upright then orients the egg with the point facing backwards.

The eggs are delivered with the large end pointing upwards. Any eggs not placed point down on the tray are immediately noticeable. Incorrectly oriented eggs reduce hatchability by 20-50% and produce poorer quality chicks (higher mortality, less grade A).