Float Testing, Checking Egg Viability For Late Or Overdue Hatching

[paneubert]

what if a Egg sinks then floats back to the top .
0r
sinks and floats in the middles does not make back to the top

That's just it balancing out from being dropped in the water. All that matters is where it ends up after it has bobbed up and down. If it sinks and then floats, that means a large air cell. If it sinks and then floats in the middle, assuming you mean it is suspended below the surface but not touching the floor, that is not the best sign, but not the worst either.

 

[Gfp]

I tested 48. eggs .
I would put the eggs in the water & then let go of them .
Most of them would would stay .
Were I lot go of them & float .
Some would sink to the bottom .
Then slowly float back to the top .
2. Sink to the bottom & stayed .
2 float 1/2 way back up. &. Stay suspended there. Not at the Bottom. or. At the top
But in between .

QUOTE="paneubert, post: 19770878, member: 390479"]

That's just it balancing out from being dropped in the water.
All that matters is where it ends up after it has bobbed up and down.
If it sinks and then floats,
That means a large air cell.
If it sinks and then floats in the middle,
Assuming you mean it is suspended below the surface.
But not touching the floor,
That is not the best sign,
But not the worst either.

 

[JaeG]

what if a Egg sinks then floats back to the top .
0r
sinks and floats in the middles does not make back to the top

I find candling tells you a lot more about what's going on inside the egg - it's much more reliable than floating. If floating you must thoroughly check eggs for external pips before float testing because if you miss one you could drown the chick as the air cell will fill with water.

Candling can tell you if the chick is still alive. If the area under the air cell is full and dark the chicks aren't far off hatching. Dead embryos on the other hand sink towards the narrow end of the egg and there will be a watery gap between the air cell and dead embryo with no veins visible. They look very black compared to the dark redness of a live egg.

 

[LynetteM]

I have some eggs that came from a 4H project...I added 3 from my coop and 6 from another lady. 1st ones put in from 4H on 3/28, my coop on 4/2, and last on 4/3. I have had only 2 hatch...1st was from my coop...early but doing great...2nd from 4H on hatch day...the rest...nothing yet...the remaining 5 from 4H are the ones I am most concerned about. I tried candling but I am still not sure what I am looking for...even after all the pictures I have seen. All the reading I have done says you can do the water test...I did, but even then I am not sure...I guess we will wait and see what happens and if they do not make their way into the world by 4/22 when last group should come, should I discard them? I feel so crappy about the whole thing if they were forming. I have never tried this before and my class went every Wednesday for 4 weeks to learn how to do this for an hour during my planning period and the 3 paraprofessionals who went with them never relayed any info back to me on what to do next...we borrowed the incubator and egg turner...who knows if that is working right...always looked like it was in the same spot to me but I guess if 2 are here and alive then something was right...at least somewhere in there...I didn't know about taking them out of the turner days before...I was livid with the three...what were they even doing that they didn't hear that...so...as I ramble still at school at 8:21 pm, Advice? Opinions?

 

[elaineinspain]

Wow! This information is so good I just had to quote it to hopefully bring it to people's attention who might need it today, 8 years later!

Many Folks Are Having Eggs Go Overdue For Hatch And Wondering If They Are Duds, Late, Or Have Had Some Sort Of Fetal Demise.... The Float Test Is Simple Yet Effect Way Of Checking Egg Viability.

I Normally Give Eggs A Full 24 Hrs Overdue Before Float Testing. It Works On All Bird Eggs- Period! Takes Very Little Equipment Or Time To Do And Is Easy To Perform.


Start With A Bowl Of Sufficient Depth To Allow The Eggs Your Testing To Float Freely Or Sink. Add 100 Degree Water To The Needed Level And Allow It To Settle( Quit Swirling And Calm Down)

Once Settled Take The Egg Or Eggs To Be Tested And Gently Lower Them Into The Water With As Little Disturbance As Possible. You May Need To Wait A Few Minutes For The Water To Settle Again After Adding Egg/ Eggs. Then Just Watch....

Eggs Are Judged By Observation With Results As Follows:

1. Sinker= Dud, Never Developed

2. High Floater (like A Fishing Bobber Without Weights) Say 45% Or More Of The Egg Above The Water Line= Dud, No Development Or Fetal Demise, Likely Rupture Of Internal Membranes Causing The Egg To Dehydrate.

3. Low Floater= Viable Egg, Development Full Term

4. Low Floater Rockin And Rollin! This Is The Live Embryo Moving Inside The Egg= Definate Viable Egg!

Once Test Results Complete Take Viable Eggs And Gently Pat Dry And Replace In Hatcher. Duds Are Best Discarded At This Time.


It Should Be Noted All Eggs Warrant Close Inspection Prior To Float Testing--- Any Pips In The Shell? Do Not Float Test! If The Shell Is Broken, Pipped Or Cracked In Any Way Water May Enter And Drown The Chick Inside

This Test Works Off Of Air Cell Development With Embryo Growth. Infertile Eggs Will Have An Underdeveloped Or Absent Air Cell That Isnt Large Enough To Float The Egg....thus The Sinkers. Ruptured Membranes Will Allow The Egg To Dehydrate.... Thus The High Floater. Proper Development Of The Embryo Will Cause The Air Cell To Develope To The Point Where Viable Eggs Will Float With Approximately 10-15% Of The Egg Above The Water Line--- These Are The Viable Eggs. Obvious Movement Of The Egg Shows Signs Of Life For The Chick Within. Works On All Bird Eggs From Hummingbirds To Ostriches

 

[JoeQ]

Many Folks Are Having Eggs Go Overdue For Hatch And Wondering If They Are Duds, Late, Or Have Had Some Sort Of Fetal Demise.... The Float Test Is Simple Yet Effect Way Of Checking Egg Viability.

I Normally Give Eggs A Full 24 Hrs Overdue Before Float Testing. It Works On All Bird Eggs- Period! Takes Very Little Equipment Or Time To Do And Is Easy To Perform.


Start With A Bowl Of Sufficient Depth To Allow The Eggs Your Testing To Float Freely Or Sink. Add 100 Degree Water To The Needed Level And Allow It To Settle( Quit Swirling And Calm Down)

Once Settled Take The Egg Or Eggs To Be Tested And Gently Lower Them Into The Water With As Little Disturbance As Possible. You May Need To Wait A Few Minutes For The Water To Settle Again After Adding Egg/ Eggs. Then Just Watch....

Eggs Are Judged By Observation With Results As Follows:

1. Sinker= Dud, Never Developed

2. High Floater (like A Fishing Bobber Without Weights) Say 45% Or More Of The Egg Above The Water Line= Dud, No Development Or Fetal Demise, Likely Rupture Of Internal Membranes Causing The Egg To Dehydrate.

3. Low Floater= Viable Egg, Development Full Term

4. Low Floater Rockin And Rollin! This Is The Live Embryo Moving Inside The Egg= Definate Viable Egg!

Once Test Results Complete Take Viable Eggs And Gently Pat Dry And Replace In Hatcher. Duds Are Best Discarded At This Time.


It Should Be Noted All Eggs Warrant Close Inspection Prior To Float Testing--- Any Pips In The Shell? Do Not Float Test! If The Shell Is Broken, Pipped Or Cracked In Any Way Water May Enter And Drown The Chick Inside

This Test Works Off Of Air Cell Development With Embryo Growth. Infertile Eggs Will Have An Underdeveloped Or Absent Air Cell That Isnt Large Enough To Float The Egg....thus The Sinkers. Ruptured Membranes Will Allow The Egg To Dehydrate.... Thus The High Floater. Proper Development Of The Embryo Will Cause The Air Cell To Develope To The Point Where Viable Eggs Will Float With Approximately 10-15% Of The Egg Above The Water Line--- These Are The Viable Eggs. Obvious Movement Of The Egg Shows Signs Of Life For The Chick Within. Works On All Bird Eggs From Hummingbirds To Ostriches

Hi, Great info for someone incubating for the first time! Thank you, at what point can this be done or what is the best time to conduct this test, i am a day and a half away from lockdown right now, the way i understood was that the egg should stay suspended kind of in the middle of the water, sound about right? I hope to hear from you asap so i can get things going, as you can imagine I'm very excited!!!!!

 

[paneubert]

Hi, Great info for someone incubating for the first time! Thank you, at what point can this be done or what is the best time to conduct this test, i am a day and a half away from lockdown right now, the way i understood was that the egg should stay suspended kind of in the middle of the water, sound about right? I hope to hear from you asap so i can get things going, as you can imagine I'm very excited!!!!!

I would not use this method until things are late. You could at lockdown, but why not just lock them all down and check a few days later if any are late?

 

[elaineinspain]

Hi, Great info for someone incubating for the first time! Thank you, at what point can this be done or what is the best time to conduct this test, i am a day and a half away from lockdown right now, the way i understood was that the egg should stay suspended kind of in the middle of the water, sound about right? I hope to hear from you asap so i can get things going, as you can imagine I'm very excited!!!!!

only do it if the eggs are overdue by at least 24 hours. And never if there appears to be a crack in the egg as this could be the chick zipping and you will drown her! I've had eggs hatch successfully on day 23 and day 24...

 

[ShalonaK]

What day do you count as past due?

 

[ronott1]

What day do you count as past due?

24 hours after the last one hatches. If none have hatched by day 23 for chickens. I would candle and tap the eggs listening for cheeping first though. Then candle if not signs of life are present