Can I move an egg in incubator on day 21?

[kellym424]

My silkie is in incubator and it's day 21. I haven't seen any indications that it's started to hatch. Can I carefully roll the egg slightly to see if there is a small crack on underside? Or would that hurt the chick?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My silkie is in incubator and it's day 21. I haven't seen any indications that it's started to hatch. Can I carefully roll the egg slightly to see if there is a small crack on underside? Or would that hurt the chick?

If you're gonna do that just go ahead and candle with a flash light. Post a pic if you can.

Advice not to candle after day 18 is relative to not opening the lid on the bator and won't hurt the chick, assuming it doesn't get shrink wrapped.

Slightly rolling won't hurt it either but will only show if you are missing the external pip. It won't tell you if there is an internal pip or any life the way candling will. Once you have larger hatches you will see the early hatchers often have a happy little game of soccer with the later hatching eggs. It can be quite frustrating to me. But I would pick up and inspect the shell using my hand and fingers to feel abnormalities in the shell surface... making sure to set it down the same way it was before in case the chick is already oriented and such as it should be.

 

[franco04]

this is my first time having a hen and now she is on the 21st day out of curiosity because i already saw 1 chick i peek every hour and my hen accidentally move the eggs by her feet. just want to ask if they will still hatch