Day 7 egg floating

[BigBirdJano]

So I couldn't help myself and decided to float my A&M eggs that had been set for 7 days. I had 35 float/flink like they should and 13 slowly sink all the way to the bottom. My question is is 7 days too early to tell if the 13 sinkers will develop more or should I remove them from the process now? Trying to avoid and exploding eggs. ( they are currently marked and back in the incubator) I don't know if it matters, but I am trying the dry incubation method. This is my first set (ever) and I am excited to see if I can actually get them to hatch! This is addicting and I am not even all the way through the first run! All comments are greatly appreciated. I did search for more info on the floating, but only came up with specifics when the hatch late.
- BigBirdJano

 

[Quail Jailer]

So I couldn't help myself and decided to float my A&M eggs that had been set for 7 days. I had 35 float/flink like they should and 13 slowly sink all the way to the bottom. My question is is 7 days too early to tell if the 13 sinkers will develop more or should I remove them from the process now? Trying to avoid and exploding eggs. ( they are currently marked and back in the incubator) I don't know if it matters, but I am trying the dry incubation method. This is my first set (ever) and I am excited to see if I can actually get them to hatch! This is addicting and I am not even all the way through the first run! All comments are greatly appreciated. I did search for more info on the floating, but only came up with specifics when the hatch late.
- BigBirdJano

SO many reasons NOT to float test @ day 7.

 

[dc3085]

I've heard several people say they were trying dry incubation but I've not seen them post any results. Please let us all know how it turns out.

Other than causing a temporary humidity fluctuation, exploding or cracking eggs are not an issue. I've incubated many thousands of eggs and never had one explode. I collect and store my eggs myself in a cool area with medium humidity (50% +/-) and inspect them all for crack upon storage and setting. About half a dozen times a year I still get a cracked egg or two but if you are paying attention it really isn't a problem.

My personal recommendation for people just getting started it to not handle the eggs for the first hatch only open the lid if you are hand turning or adding water. The more you handle them the more chance of them soaking up bacteria from your hands or water when you float them.

The reason I say that so that you can minimize the learning mistakes that we all experience in a new endeavor and get as many birds as possible from your first hatch. Remember half or more will be roosters, so if you can maximize your first hatch the sooner you'll have more hens producing eggs that you can experiment with freely and not feel like you lost anything. Just my two cents.

ETA: I know how tempting it is to mess with the eggs and incubator, been there

 

[Dragons4u]

My first incubation I candled a lot, like every week. Now I just set the eggs and candle at lock down and remove any that don't show development.

 

[BigBirdJano]

SO many reasons NOT to float test @ day 7.

So just mild criticism.... Which is appreciated, so what do you recommend in the future? I know when I tell someone what they did was not particularly the best move, I usually give them a little more feed back.

 

[BigBirdJano]

Thank You DC I will not touch them until lockdown, which shouldn't be to hard as it's only 7 days. I do have the automatic turner so I don't need to lift the cover until then. I guess I have read a few to many posts about exploding eggs. Maybe it's just a chicken egg thing? Seems like the COT eggs take less time so they have less risk of exploding.

 

[Quail Jailer]

So just mild criticism.... Which is appreciated, so what do you recommend in the future? I know when I tell someone what they did was not particularly the best move, I usually give them a little more feed back.

But its so much easier to make a snarky comment and keep moving...

Float testing should only be used in a last ditch effort for overdue eggs, Lots of things to be mentioned but I'll just
hit the high spots...I assume you know that you should not wash eggs that you intend to hatch?
As the egg is laid a coating is deposited, that is a gas permeable antibacterial coating called "bloom"
Wetting the egg can remove this, opening the egg to any number of harmful bacteria.

Also remember the chick is an air breathing creature, something that is difficult when submerged.

Water temp is critical, just so many things that are risky. I rarely float test, usually those that are overdue
have a much higher "problem rate" often better to let nature take its course.

I like DC have hatched quite a few and never had an exploding egg.

Your mileage may vary.