We started with 16 eggs in our over 50 year old incubator. The incubator was, at first, very inconsistent with the temperature. After candling around day 13, 4 were not viable eggs and 12 were. All 12 eggs were progressing nicely. I candled on day 18, before "lockdown". 5 eggs had embryos that were really filling the space nicely and all 12 had great air sacs. Day 21 came and went as I expected it to, given the temperature had fluctuated for the first 7 days. On the beginning of day 24, our first chick hatched. The following day (ending if day 24 and beginning of 25), 4 more chicks hatched. Today, I opened 4 of the remaining 7 eggs. They were all fully developed chicks, however, the were deceased and had not "consumed " the entire yolk. Now I have 3 left. I water floated them today, now on day 26, and they all floated accordingly. I had a slightly low floater, but it is a larger egg. No movement, no sounds, nothing. The only thing I am holding onto, is the fact that one of the embryos has grown slightly since day 23. I need advice! I need personal experience! I don't want to lose this many.
Floating eggs doesn't signify life. If they float AND wiggle on their own that signifies life. Any egg with a decent sized air cell will float. At day 26 I wouldn't hold much hope, though it's not impossible, this late after hatch, but the probability is low. Having as many as you've had hatch that late is pretty incredible. The farther you get from "hatch day" the higher chances of unhealthy chicks you have.
