4 chicks hatched day 18, did float test on rest day 23, do I assist?

[CarleeG]

4 chicks hatched on day 18. They got fluffy and were racing around the incubator, knocking all the other eggs around and playing with each other so I took them out and put them in the brooder. Remaining 12 did nothing. On Day 23 I took them out and float tested. 2 didn’t develop but remaining seem viable. Should I assist and open the top of the egg to see if they got shrink wrapped in there from opening the incubator to take out the other 4?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Did they wiggle when you floated them? See any movement when you candle?
You can open them if you want but I doubt they are alive.
Since 4 hatched on day 18, your temperature was high throughout. That could have killed the rest.

 

[CarleeG]

Did they wiggle when you floated them? See any movement when you candle?
You can open them if you want but I doubt they are alive.
Since 4 hatched on day 18, your temperature was high throughout. That could have killed the rest.

No wiggling unfortunately . I forgot to mention they’re quail eggs, supposed to hatch between days 16-18 but I’ve heard they can be late.

 

[Nabiki]

At day 23, they're not going to hatch. They can be late, but you're talking five days here. Also, float testing is a good way to kill the chicks even if they were alive. Candling is more reliable. It certainly won't hurt to open the eggs at this point to see what they look like.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No wiggling unfortunately . I forgot to mention they’re quail eggs, supposed to hatch between days 16-18 but I’ve heard they can be late.

I'm sorry, I thought this was in the incubation forum. Quail clarifies things. So your temps were OK.
However, they are done.

 

[JaeG]

They would not have become shrink wrapped from removing the 4 that hatched. It's unlikely on day 23 that they will still be viable but you can candle the remaining eggs and it's easy to see if they are dead. A dead foetus sinks towards the narrow end of the egg and there is a watery gap between it and the air cell. It also looks very black, whereas an egg that's alive looks very dark inside but still slightly pink.

Were they shipped eggs? That can greatly affect how many hatch. And just checking you had your air vents fully open on the incubator. It's easy to forget and fresh air is very important in those last few days and during hatching.

 

[CarleeG]

They would not have become shrink wrapped from removing the 4 that hatched. It's unlikely on day 23 that they will still be viable but you can candle the remaining eggs and it's easy to see if they are dead. A dead foetus sinks towards the narrow end of the egg and there is a watery gap between it and the air cell. It also looks very black, whereas an egg that's alive looks very dark inside but still slightly pink.

Were they shipped eggs? That can greatly affect how many hatch. And just checking you had your air vents fully open on the incubator. It's easy to forget and fresh air is very important in those last few days and during hatching.

They were shipped eggs and I had a bit of an issue with my first incubator, I put thermometers all around it and there seemed to be a cold side and a warm side so I got a new incubator. I wonder if that was part of it.

 

[JaeG]

They were shipped eggs and I had a bit of an issue with my first incubator, I put thermometers all around it and there seemed to be a cold side and a warm side so I got a new incubator. I wonder if that was part of it.

It very likely was, but I do hope you are enjoying the 4 that hatched. They are such cute little things. Will you have another go at incubating now that you have a more stable incubator?

 

[CarleeG]

It very likely was, but I do hope you are enjoying the 4 that hatched. They are such cute little things. Will you have another go at incubating now that you have a more stable incubator?

The 4 that hatched are doing so well. I’m amazed at how fast they are growing and they all have their own little personality. I will try to incubate again but I’m going to enjoy raising these guys for awhile first.