Any way to tell if eggs will hatch?

[jak2002003]

I have a broody hen sitting on eggs, and I don't know if they have gone past the hatch date or not!

I did the 'float test' and all the eggs floated fine, but I could not see them moving.

I shone a light through them and they just looked sold inside.

How can I tell if there are live chicks in there, or if they are dead or not going to hatch?

There were lots of eggs in this nest, shared by 3 broody hens. 2 batches of chicks hatched about 5 days apart, and the other 2 hens are looking after the chicks.

But this one hen is still on some eggs and its been another 5 days.

I don't want her to get sick from brooding too long.

If the eggs are not going to hatch how long till I can tell they are bad?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You don't know how old they are?

I would try to estimate how long they've been in the nest and add about 5 days before I'd consider them caput.

It's important to mark eggs under broodies and remove volunteers to prevent staggered/failed hatches.

She may be sensing movement.

 

[jak2002003]

Thank you for you reply. I will give her another week.

I did mark the eggs, because other hens were adding eggs to the pile. I took out the unmarked eggs each day as I inspected the nest (and had them for breakfast).

But I marked them too late, as most were in there a good week before I decided to let the try to hatch them out.

The problem is that this hen was the first hen to start brooding the eggs right at the start. So she has done over her normal brooding time.

 

[gander007]

I do not think another 5 days is going to hurt much unless
you are going to have her sit on some more but if you have
an incubator maybe put them in there I do understand the
point of here health also .......