Development question, please help.

[Rocky Top Chick]

My eggs are scheduled for lockdown on Wednesday, however I think they may be falling a little behind on development. When I candeled them last night you could see that a chick was inside, however, there is still quite a bit of space at the bottom of the egg. The air pocket looks great, but as I stated still some space at the bottom. Is this normal or are they slow? There was movement of something so I believe they are alive. Can anyone help me?

Thanks in advance.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

They sound good to me.

 

[dsqard]

Have you looked at the pictures on this thread to compare?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261876
Sounds like they are right on schedule if you look at the day 18 egg. There is still room between the air cell and the chick.

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

Quote:
Yes I have, but they seem fuller than mine.

 

[gryeyes]

This is one of the reasons I so seldom candle ANY of my incubating eggs. I figure if they don't stink, they can go to lockdown. I also wait until day 25 before I give up on eggs. I don't like worrying about how much development I do or do not see.

Sometimes I candle, and remove totally clear eggs at lockdown. Or blood rings. But most of the time, I only candle enough eggs to see ANY development, then I stop, satisfied SOMETHING is growing. If I don't see any on Day 12' the first time I'll even try to candle, as I go through eggs, I will give up at the 4th egg and just put 'em all back into the 'bator and just forge forward. I don't want to be disappointed more than once.

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

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I think from this point forward I am only going to candle a couple of times myself. This can make a sane person crazy !!!!!

 

[dsqard]

Quote:
Very true! I have only hatched once and I kept reading about other people seeing chicks moving around in the eggs, veining etc. I think I might have seen veining in some of the lighter brown eggs but nothing in my green eggs. Never saw any movement so I drove myself crazy thinking that I had a bator full of duds. Actually, definitely at day 18 you can tell the difference between a non-starter and one that at least started developing. The only eggs that didn't go into lockdown were the definite "clears" and even then I wound up with one in lockdown that never even started. Just don't want to take a chance on culling an egg that is growing just fine. I agree with Linda, better to be safe and let them go into lockdown than sorry! Good luck on your hatch!

 

[Pascal PicklePants]

Quote:
Yeah, I like the sound of that too. I have a natural tenancy to overcomplicate things, so working a "simple plan" seems the most reasonable. If the egg is full of chicken at day 18 in it stays. If, on day 18, it is clear and/or stinks.........Adios. Even that is more complex than what a broody would do......Unless somebody has Broody with thumbs and a flashlight

 

[elizabethbinary]

What kind of lights are some of you using? I have an ultra-bright LED handheld one and I never have a problem judging eggs and I'm totally new at it. I love doing it and probably do it too much because I just love seeing the little duck feet kick or the chicken beaks start pushing against the air cell. I've had to be a good girl and not do it at all this clutch, because I love seeing the development so much.

It must be the light or something.

And the eggs sound on track to me.

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

Quote:
I also use a LED small flashlight, but I guess I don't really know what to look for. Although I must say that I am getting better. I only began with six eggs, two were not fertile, and 2 quit. I did open those eggs and saw what appeared to be little sea horses so I am learning tons. Only have two left and they are white eggs so it has been easier to see inside.

Thanks,
D.