Float Testing, Checking Egg Viability For Late Or Overdue Hatching

[cmitchell]

Float tests and eggtopsies I performed on 11 eggs that were on day 25 incubation (4 days overdue, showing no signs of life). We had issues with the temperature in the incubator about 4 days away from hatch day. Power outage caused temperature to go down in the 80's. Then when power came back the temperature spiked to 106 before coming down to normal temperature. I believe that is when 9 out of the 11 bad eggs died. We did get 10 chicks that hatched and are doing well!

 

[SavageChick]

Wow, that's an interesting photo report, cmitchell.

 

[cmitchell]

Thank you!

 

[TwoCrows]

Float tests and eggtopsies I performed on 11 eggs that were on day 25 incubation (4 days overdue, showing no signs of life). We had issues with the temperature in the incubator about 4 days away from hatch day. Power outage caused temperature to go down in the 80's. Then when power came back the temperature spiked to 106 before coming down to normal temperature. I believe that is when 9 out of the 11 bad eggs died. We did get 10 chicks that hatched and are doing well!

I HIGHLY recommend to all people to keep a detailed diary of your incubation processes. From start to finish, each day, several times a day, record your incubator temp, humidity level, room temp, room humidity level, position of vents, all candling information, air cell size, and any other info that may pertain to the hatch. Candling is not only an interesting thing to do, but it can tell a LOT about what is going on inside the egg, your humidity and how it may need to be changed, if you are over heating or chilling your eggs, etc... And by monitoring the incubation all the way thru, when you do have issues at the end of the hatch, by analyzing your records, AND doing an "eggcropsy" on the eggs, you can then figure out what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening in the future.

Thanks for sharing Cmitchell!

 

[veggiecanner]

I was told not to candle my quail eggs. is that right?

 

[Wilchild54]

This is a great article very imformitive ...

 

[TwoCrows]

I was told not to candle my quail eggs. is that right?

Candling serves a few purposes. It can help you weed out the duds along the way, and in my humble opinion the best reason to candle is to allow you to watch the growth of the air cell. The speed of the growth or not growing of the air chamber helps you keep tabs on the humidity inside the eggs and development of the embryo's. The air cell will play a huge part during lock down to zipping and it needs to be of proper size. Too much humidity during incubation, and the air cell does not grow enough. Not enough humidity and the air cell grows too large too fast. A large air cell will tell you the chicks are dehydrating and are not able to get nutrients. Air cells that are too small will tell you the chick is too wet, will not be able to absorb the yolk in the end and are not able to take in nutrients properly as well.

 

[Wilchild54]

Thank you Flock Master, that was very helpful as I had 12 eggs over due now and some were Reese and Silver Back which are dark color and hard to candle I found 10 dead eggs this way and put my 2 Silver Backs back into the incubator as they were Rocken & Rollen in the water . if these Guys dont pip in a day or 2 would you agree I would have a better chance of them surviving if I took then out of the shell my self rather than let them die in the shell ?

 

[veggiecanner]

I did this todayn on some chicken eggs. They floated just fine but candle infertle.

 

[wescottwomen]

I did the float test on all 5 they where low floaters but I didn't see movement should I wait and if so how long