An incubating question

[Missouri Chicken Chick]

How long should I wait before it's time to give up on eggs hatching. I am in the process of hatching some eggs and a few of them are now 3 days overdue. One of them, however, just cracked its shell, but I don't see any movement. How long do most people wait before disposing of the eggs that don't hatch?

 

[Minniechickmama]

If you have one that just pipped, I would give them another day or two before pitching them. Were they from you chickens or did you get them from someone else? Shipped?
It can take up to 24 hours from pip to fully hatching, so don't give up all hope. Make sure the humidity is plenty high enough - about 65% at this point is what I have in my instructions.
Good luck.

 

[Missouri Chicken Chick]

They are from my chickens. Sort of an "experiment" I am trying to raise good laying birds, as well as getting some size to the birds so they will be 'easy keepers' for people who want to raise birds in the city. Here in Missouri, the city of Springfield just passed an ordinance to allow people to have 5 hens in their back yards. I have light sussex chickens as well as RIRs and blue-laced wyandottes. Most of the time, my birds free range, but when I do have them in my pen (with a 5' fence), the wyandottes and RIR hens just fly out. The sussex, on the other hand, never leave the pen and can't seem to jump or fly more than four feet or so. Anyway, most of the chicks hatched without any trouble, but I have these few left. I just hate to give up on them, so I guess I will give them a few more days. You never know.