Eggs delayed for two weeks

[UThobbyfarmer]

I took the pictures in a room where I brood my chicks. Sure it wasn’t totally dark because the chicks like to have a night light. But even in your pictures of the day 7 egg you can see only a small speck. More of the egg is taken up in my pictures. Ambient light or not. Tonight when it is totally dark I will make it totally dark and get better pictures. But the eggs are not see through like your day 7 pictures.
But if you say the veining is day 7 then how come the chick takes up so much space?

At day 7 it's not a speck. It's probably 1/2 inch and rocking quite a bit. Maybe you're just looking at the eye not the full embryo? I'll dig through my photos to see if I have a good picture.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

This is the best I could find without some serious digging into my photos. It's a day 6 chicken egg from January '20. Same egg all pics. I've placed green around the edges (head and rump) of the embryo
They grow incredibly quickly. Every hour they're in the egg truly matters. A day 7 egg would already be notably larger.

Also note this is a white egg. In brown or colored eggs the veining and shadows are even harder to interpret. Light placement and intensity make a huge difference in what you're seeing. Shadows can make the eggs appear fuller when it's actually now. I think that's what you're seeing. Regardless I think it's awesome that you are getting growth in these eggs! Seriously awesome. I'm following along with anticipation and cautiously optimistic that you'll have chicks from these eggs.

 

[Kiraeh]

Yeah day seven is a good size. Has little limb nubs, feathers started. I find that in the second week, embryos are less visible, as they sit further away from the edge of the egg.

You're the one in the room with the eggs, I don't see what you're describing.

Partly, I'm skeptical because I don't see how a developing embryo could survive any amount of shipping handling. It's hard enough on unincubated eggs, as soon as there's blood vessels to mess up they're even more fragile.

In the end, it's pretty easy if you're candling regularly to see when drawdown starts, and that's what matters for a good hatch. You'll see the edge of the air cell move a lot faster, the chick will take up so much of the egg that you can only see veins at the edges, and you might see shadowing in the air cell.

I agree with above, it's fantastic that these eggs are developing at all! If they hatch early I'll be happy to be wrong. hatching is what matters.

 

[Smileybans]

At day 7 it's not a speck. It's probably 1/2 inch and rocking quite a bit. Maybe you're just looking at the eye not the full embryo? I'll dig through my photos to see if I have a good picture.

Here’s pictures in a completely dark room. I’m pretty sure the egg is full because no matter which way I turn the egg it’s dark.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Here’s pictures in a completely dark room. I’m pretty sure the egg is full because no matter which way I turn the egg it’s dark. View attachment 2464469View attachment 2464470View attachment 2464471View attachment 2464472View attachment 2464473

Those are better pictures. Even in those pictures I still see lots of room to grow. The CAM (chorioallantoic membrane) is very visible in almost all those pictures (where the veins are). Before hatching, and late incubation, the embryo fills the egg you'll see none of or very very little CAM (even though it's still there). Like your first pic but from all angles. Can you also verify that's the same egg in all the most recent pics? If it's a different egg watch it very careful for spoilage. If it's the same egg, just different angle, you're good.

What day do you think they are on? I counted them as day 10 today if you set on 12/16. Just be ready for hatching. If you stop turning a few days early, to compensate for possible early hatching, they should be fine.

 

[Smileybans]

Those are better pictures. Even in those pictures I still see lots of room to grow. The CAM (chorioallantoic membrane) is very visible in almost all those pictures (where the veins are). Before hatching, and late incubation, the embryo fills the egg you'll see none of or very very little CAM (even though it's still there). Like your first pic but from all angles. Can you also verify that's the same egg in all the most recent pics? If it's a different egg watch it very careful for spoilage. If it's the same egg, just different angle, you're good.

What day do you think they are on? I counted them as day 10 today if you set on 12/16. Just be ready for hatching. If you stop turning a few days early, to compensate for possible early hatching, they should be fine.

I did set on the 16th. That is the same egg in all the pictures. I only have two blue eggs so it’s easy to find in my incubator. I wondered when I should stop turning.
This is my fifth set of eggs and I’ve never had a result like this on the first candling. That’s why I was so surprised and kinda worried. Usually the first candling for me, at 7 days, all I can see is a black speck. But I knew this egg wasn’t near hatching because it wasn’t full, like you mention, but fuller than I expected anyway.
I’m not sure what day they’re on. I’m going off a chart I found online and try to compare to that. From the chart I’m guessing day 14. But only because I can still see veining and it doesn’t fill the whole egg. But at the same time it fills more than it does in the 10-12 day picture. This is the chart I’m using. The one I’ve used for all my sets.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Yup, that's a good one to go by. Great for reference. However no chart can compensate for the nuances of each individual hatch. That's what you're experiencing. That side of hatching that's less science and more feel or instinct. Keep up the good work! These babies are beating the odds under your watchful eye.

 

[gimmie birdies]

7 just hatched from eggs shipped from MI. 4 AC mixes (one really black one) 2 silky mixes, and one brown Jubilee orpington mix. Not a big number, but just right for the winter care.