Do you open up eggs that haven't pipped?

[itsy]

I tried searching for this but I think it's too broad in such a large section of the forum to find the answer.... that or I'm doing something wrong!

At what day of incubation should I open the eggs if everyone else has hatched? Is it ever possible that there is a live chick in a late egg who wouldn't live unless it was opened manually?

Thanks!

 

[Farmer_Dan]

I try to do a float test on about day 22 or 23 if they aren't pipping.

Well, first I candle, sometimes you can see movement, then, if I still am unsure, I float the egg in some warm water. If there's a live chick in there, the egg should float and if left alone for a few minutes, you should see movement. If it sinks or is totally stagnant in the water after a minute or two, it's probably deceased.

I did open one egg to help a chick hatch out last hatching time, but the poor thing was not developed correctly and never figured out how to stand up or eat/drink so I culled him after about 2 days.

 

[Wolftalk]

I would not risk opening them. but you can candle them to see if they are any good. they should look dark on top and lighter on the bottom right before they hatch.
use a very dark room, and a flashlight. if they do not hatch 3 days after they are supposd to then candel them again to see! hope that helped!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I usually give the eggs that have not pipped or hatched an extra night in the incubator after I think the hatch is over and I have taken the other chicks out. I've never had a late one hatch but you just hate to give up on them.

It is extremely unlikely you will fine one that has not pipped and will survive if you open it up. They go through a certain process to hatch, absorbing the yolk, drying up blood vessels external to their body, and who knows what else, a lot of that after the pip. If they are not strong enough to pip on their own, it is highly unlikely they will have done enough of that stuff to survive on the chance that one is still alive. And, realistically, one is not likely to still be alive.

I do open the eggs to analyze them, to try to determne why they did not hatch. Maybe I can learn something and get a better hatch next time.

 

[itsy]

You are all amazing and incredibly helpful! Thank you!

In the event that I have to cull a chick - is it the same basic process as when I process a meat bird? Or what I've seen when people process quail? Garden shears? I hope I never have to do that, but I should be realistic about it. That and I have one chick who seems lethargic, but I would give it time to make it of course.