Incubate with embryo on top or orientation they were laid?

[cchardwick]

I've always heard from just about every breeder out there that you should incubate a clutch of eggs in the same orientation they were laid and I'm not sure anyone has ever questioned it. I've also heard that the embryo has to be on top of the egg, if it's on the bottom the embryo will drown and die. I shot this video of my latest clutch of eggs showing that there is a huge difference between the embryo being on top and the original orientation of the eggs as they were laid. Check it out:

https://youtu.be/GYSNQRy2Emc

(If you like this video please subscribe to my YouTube channel, I'm trying to reach 1000 subscribers for a YouTube upgrade! Thanks!)

[Stewart_Reptiles]

They need to be incubated the way they were laid, if you happen to rotate an egg when pulling them so long it is within the first 24 hours you will be fine.

[Sunnieskys]

Nice video!

[cchardwick]

Nice video!

Thanks! I actually just found a scientific article that said you get an extra 10% hatch rate with the embryos on top. It also said you get bigger hatchlings with the embryo on the bottom, I thought that was weird. And it said if you incubate with the embryo on the top and then flip the egg so that it's on the bottom half way through incubation the eggs hatch just fine, but you get a higher percentage of birth defects. I thought all of that was very interesting.