Float Testing, Checking Egg Viability For Late Or Overdue Hatching

[Nabiki]

Don't float test. It's a good way to kill chicks from a lot of the people here. I would only use a float test to see if an egg is edible or not.

Candling is a much better way to check, even with a thick shell.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

As several mentioned before, I wouldn't suggest the float test.
Candle or hearing is much better and with no risk for the chick.

If you float test, the shell gets soaked with water and prevents the oxygene exchange till dried. Can cause to choke the chick.

If there is life in the egg, for my experience, you hear scribbling, scratching, pecking or even pipping.
If it is wobbling in the float test, you 100% hear the movement, too.

I prefer the hear test.

 

[Nabiki]

I was on day 22 of my first hatch under a hen and didn't know it could take so many extra days to hatch, but I did the float test just so there wouldn't be bad eggs under her and when two sunk I opened them, and found fully formed babies inside. I thought if they sunk they were supposed to be duds that never developed??

Looks like they had been deceased for a couple of days and were fully developed but hadn't absorbed their yolk sacs or started to breathe yet, so I think they were gone upon opening, but they sure were developed for sinking eggs.

Please, please don't float test eggs. If there is a live chick in there, it's a good way to kill it. Candling is a much better way to check them.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
PERSONALLY I DONT EVEN FLOAT TEST UNTIL 36-48 HRS OVERDUE. IF THEY CHECK OUT I WILL GIVE THEM ANOTHER 24-36 HRS IN THE HATCHER.... IN MY EXPERIENCE IF THEY CHECK OUT AND STILL DONT HATCH WITH THE EXTRA TIME ALOTTED WHEN RETESTED THEY WILL BE DEAD IN THE EGG. --- TOO WEAK TO HATCH PERHAPS? IDK? THATS JUST MY RESULTS. I HAVE A GOOD DEAL OF LATE BLOOMERS THAT PASS THE FLOAT TEST AND DID HATCH THAT HAVE DONE JUST FINE. BUT USUALLY IF THEY ARE 3 DAYS OVERDUE AND THE EGG ISNT ROCKIN AND ROLLIN IN THE FLOAT TEST IT DOESNT LOOK GOOD FOR THEM...

 

[wing it]

I have been doing this for years. Great to see it spelled out , as I have seen many people asking about it. Thanks JJMR794

 

[jenjscott]

They do this with whooping crane eggs, a very endangered species. I can guarantee if it was a threat to the chick, they wouldn't do it.

 

[JJMR794]

OK BIRD REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY --- ANATOMY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE EGG 101

EGG IS LAID BY HEN WITH A SMALL AIR SAC
---IF INFERTILE THE AIR SAC STAYS TINY--- NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO FLOAT THE EGG

---IF EGG DEHYDRATES EGG FLOATS HIGH IN THE WATER LIKE A FISHING BOBBER(50+% ABOVE THE WATER LINE)--- IF YOU GET THIS RESULT YOUR LACK OF HUMIDITY HAS KILLED JR, OR HE DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES AND THE EGG IS BUILDING UP SULFUR DIOXIDE GAS (HANDLE THESE VERY VERY GENTLY... AS THESE ARE THE ONES TO GO BOOM!

)

---IF EGG IS RIGHT WHERE IT SHOULD BE IN DEVELOPMENT THEN THE AIR SAC INCREASES STEADILY IN SIZE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE INCUBATION PROCESS AND CAUSES A NORMAL FLOATER-- APPROX 25-30% OF THE EGG ABOVE THE WATER LINE. AND IF IT HAPPENS TO WIGGLE OR BE ROCKING AND ROLLING WHILE FLOATING IN STILL WATER? WELL NOW THATS JR REARRANGING THE PLACE OR MAYBE DANCING AROUND IN HIS UNDERWEAR OR WHATEVER--- BUT IT SHOWS HE IS ALIVE AND WELL.

RESULTS SHOULD BE ACCURATE AND READILY AVAILABLE AT MIDTERM OF INCUBATION.... BY THIS STAGE IN DEVELOPMENT THE AIR SAC HAS REACHED SUFFICIENT SIZE TO GIVE EASY TO READ RESULT- THO MOVEMENT WILL LIKELY NOT BE VISIBLE UNTIL LATE INCUBATION. ALSO THE RESULTS MAY CHANGE BY THE TIME YOU GO INTO LOCKDOWN...

NOW PERSONALLY I AM A BIT OF A PURIST... I DONT WASH EGGS (THE WHOLE "REMOVING THE BLOOM" THING...) SO I DONT FLOAT EGGS DURING INCUBATION. MUCH LIKE RON POPIEL'S SHOWTIME ROTISERY OVEN... I SET IT AND FORGET IT( I DO KEEP CLOSE TABS ON INCUBATION AS FAR AS TEMP/ HUMIDITY, AND LOOK FOR ANY BAD EGGS THROUGHOUT--- BUT I DONT PER SE' CANDLE FREQUENTLY OR ARBITRARILY FLOAT MY EGGS). AT THE TIME OF TRANSFER FROM INCUBATION TO HATCHER (LOCKDOWN) WOULD BE THE EARLIEST TIME I WOULD DO THIS AS FOR MY PRACTICES... I USE IT PRIMARILY FOR OVERDUE EGGS. I AM NOT THE TYPE THAT CHECKS EVERY EGG I HAVE EVERY DAY FOR VIENING AND ULTRASOUNDS OF JR AND HIS TEMPORARY HOUSING DECORATIONS AND WHATNOT.... 1ST OFF ITS NOT MY STYLE, AND 2ND I WOULD IN NO WAY HAVE TIME TO DO THIS BEHAVIOR IF I WAS SITTING HERE 24/7 BORED OUT OF MY MIND--- I JUST HAVE WAY TOO MANY EGGS COOKING AT ANY 1 TIME TO WORRY ABOUT THEM... I SET IT AND FORGET IT UNTIL TIME TO MOVE THEM TO MY HATCHER. IF AT THAT TIME I AM CONCERNED OR CURIOUS I MAY FLOAT THEM. BUT PRIMARILY WHEN THE HAVE GONE THE FULL 3 DAYS IN LOCKDOWN AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED--- I FLOAT THEM. THIS IS MY WAY OF DETERMINING IF I TOSS THEM OR GIVE THEM ANOTHER 24-48 HRS AND A FIGHTING CHANCE AT LIFE.

 

[jak2002003]

This test is tried and true... It has been used long before the Internet or you and I were around to question why.... It works because of the air cell in the egg. If there was not a air cell large enough to float the egg. There was not enough air cell to support a chick hatching, the point of the air cell in the first place. Is it possible that your humidity was high and prevented evaporation from the egg, thus forming too little air cell? This is about the only explanation I can see that would explain egg sinking and a live chick... But I'm here to tell ya float testing works!

Well it does not always work as I found out for myself. I still am so upset about it and feel guilty that I killed this (these) chicks.

Reading through these posts I also see this happened to someone else, so its not just me.

So it might work 90 percent of the time, but I will give a WARNING to people using this test that it is not 100 percent safe - so just be aware.

 

[FlomatonsFlocks]

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!

Thank you so much! You did a wonderful job!

 

[JaeG]

Hi, I have 3 goose eggs going, day 34. I've candled but am fairly new so it's difficult to tell exactly what's going on. I had a power outage a few days ago and the temp dipped into the 80s. There is no peeping but I thought I saw movement in at least 1. So I did a water test, none were rocking, but they were spinning slowly even after the water had settled. Does this for sure mean they are still alive at this point?
I mean, would non living eggs spin?

A dip in temperature would've delayed them a bit. Unless the temperature was low for a sustained period of time I'd say they should be ok. As long as their internal temperature didn't drop too far. It's worth giving them at least a few more days.

I haven't hatched geese but the page I read said the incubation time was up to internal pip, then it could be 3 more days before they hatch. Fingers crossed and I hope something hatches for you.