Okay to candle a egg you need it to be totally dark. I use a small flash light and put it up against the egg. You then can see the chicks inside moving around. Its pretty neat.
It also sounds like you a right and that you should be getting a hatch at any time. Right before a chick hatches it...
You should have candled them instead of cracking it open. I am sorry you had to see that. Do you know for sure what day she first started sitting? I always mark it down on my calender so I know for sure when then hatch date is suppose to be. It sounds to me like they arent at the 21 yet and you...