Day 23 are my eggs alive

[FC16]

I have 3 eggs left in incubator, it’s day 23 and I decided to do the float test which I have never done before so am not sure about.
All 3 of them floated (not sure what this means)
I candled them before I did it, they all just looked very dark other than the air space (couldn’t see any beak in it)
They had no movement when candling, and they haven’t done anything in the incubator like rocking.
I have had an issue with inconsistent temps towards the early stage at incubation
Are they dead? (Unfortunately I couldn’t get photos)

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Could be. The float test is to determine if they are still in the water or bob and gyrate. The latter would indicate they are alive and moving.
Did you have other eggs in this setting hatch?

 

[FC16]

Could be. The float test is to determine if they are still in the water or bob and gyrate. The latter would indicate they are alive and moving.
Did you have other eggs in this setting hatch?

Yes so I had 4 eggs and the only one which hatched (on day 21) was my olive egg which I couldn’t see through so had no clue if it was alive.
The incubator isn’t great and I had to open again this morning to add water, I quickly candled and they all keep getting darker by the day?

 

[FlarryEyeGrey]

Probably not. Honestly, in the past I would just discard any egg without signs of life by day 23, assuming I had others in the same clutch hatch on time. I just had a pretty tragic hatch with 3 beautiful fully-formed Bielefelder chicks dead in the shell because I didn't assist (all 3 malpositioned; pipped through the membrane but had no access to air and couldn't externally pip in time). Now I assist first and ask questions later. In your case I would start by gently opening up the shell over the air cell to see what you're working with.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Chicks are healthiest if they hatch on their own, and helping at first pip, is not good.

 

[FlarryEyeGrey]

I generally wholeheartedly agree, but 24+ hours after the first chick hatches out you're less likely to be dealing with chicks who would hatch on their own. I didn't ever assist until I started doing necropsies on failed eggs and realized that a decent number were well developed.

That said, a LOT of my incubator eggs are shipped, and that may well increase the number with air cell/malposition issues that aren't necessarily hereditary. If you're hatching your own it might make more sense to not assist at all, since it could affect the overall vigor of your flock.