Float Testing, Checking Egg Viability For Late Or Overdue Hatching

anyone still watching this thread

'cause i need help

float tested five bbs orpington eggs that are at day 23

no sinkers, no high floaters.

really, they're okay?

ugh. stomach doing a topsy-turvy. i thought they were already gone.

hand-holding required.

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Oesdog

said it before ,.....unless you see movement the float test doesn't prove they are viable....as old eggs even from the store will float,

I only use the float test to tell how old eggs are.......

here's a picture of the five remaining eggs during a float test



no movement, but i'll leave them in a few more days

today is day 24

The float test is very very good. It is used by a lot of rare bird breeders and conservationists.

Yes you do need to be looking for movement even slight movement. However in my last chick I never did see any movement and I litteraly had given up and was collecting the eggs to throw away on Day 28!!! And there was a tiny tiny hole in the egg. We quickly opened it up more as we knew the chick must be in trouble. We were very careful to follow ALL the instructions on the Sticky about intervention. - This little chick was so exhausted it did not move for a full 12 hours after hatch. Weonly knew it was alive because we could see its body move when it breathed.

He made it - Cuckoo Maran Rooster now living in a petting farm so will never be killed.


So never give up hope - !!!!! As I said though unviable eggs can explode when they are left too long - I personally would never keep any past 30 day. Most folk throw at Day 25 but due to having viable chicks at day 27 and 28 I am reluctant to give up until well after that.

You said your temp went up - this may have been a problem - Once you get to day 30 if nothing has emerged I would take them out in the yard well away from anything incase they explode and do an egg topsy just to see for yourself what happened and then you can work on that for next time. ITs all a big learning curve and most of us DOnt get good hatch rates when we start out.

Oesdog

thanks for the info...I didn't know any of this

I have a bunch of eggs I just Float Tested since some are at day 23, 25 and just on the verge of day 27. I have had a couple days of low temps due to a power outage so I am leaving them alone. I had movement in a couple of BR eggs that I could feel as soon as I picked them up. I had quite a few that stayed just around the top or just under. Those that floated the approx 45% and those that sunk like a rock I tossed. Now the ones that floated but I really didn't notice much or any motion in the water I assume I should let go until day 30 since the temps got a few degrees low? Nothing stinks in the bator so I think I'm okay. Any advice?

You could try,,,,I've never let a hatch go that long...My concern would be that they may not have the strength to kick on out the hatch, but since there seems to be no danger of exploding eggs, I'd try! Great luck on your hatch. Have a Blessed day. Nancy

Thanks! I'm feeling that they may not be all good but since they are all eggs I bought of Sumatras, Yokohamas, SSH, SS, and MFD and Ancona Chickens I really want to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I did have great hatching around day 20/21 - is it possible that the chicks that were in the incubator roaming around and rolling their brothers and sisters may have damaged them so they won't hatch? I know someone recommended to me a long time ago that when it was time to hatch to try putting them in egg cartons with the bottom cut out to help with hatching.

Any thoughts????

Thanks

Well since mothers hatch babies all the time and not in egg cartons, I do believe that the strong eggs will hatch....I'm a bit nervous today as I look at Pekin ducklins eggs pusheg around by their siblings that already hatched!