Float Testing, Checking Egg Viability For Late Or Overdue Hatching

[Bird Bird Bird]

Thanks for the help. Can't wait to try it out. I am worried that Mr. Rooster is a dud. We'll see!

 

[Chickengirl1304]

JJMR will the eggs be ok if I do this on day 17?

 

[Fat Daddy]

Hi, JJ got a life and dont spend a lot of time on the forums anymore... Been a month since he signed on here. But IMHO, you should wait till they are late to float test your eggs. You run some risk any time you remove them from the bator, even more during "lock down". So unless your hatching buttons, sit on your hads for a few more days till they are two or three days late! Hope you dont need to float test any! Bill

 

[TeachHatch]

We have 12 late duck eggs that the momma hen is still sitting on after 2 eggs hatched 3 days ago. We tried the float test today w/o having done a lot of research on it. We quickly put the eggs in the water, saw if they floated, and whisked them out. They all floated nicely, but we didn't leave them long enough (I don't think) to check for movement. How long do you leave the eggs in the water before the movement happens if the duckling is still viable? Today is day 31, assuming the dates are right, for these last eggs. Any hope???

 

[daoustaj]

all of my eggs floated the same - they are 3 days past due. i took out half of them that had still the 8 day look and they were still tiny bean size, the others look a little darker. . . but i dont know maybe i did it wrong?? or they are all duds. the air cell was up and out of water on each.

 

[oesdog]

All you can do is give it the benifit of the doubt and let them be for a few more days. I don;t keep eggs past 30 days. As they explode and really are not at all nice. My late chick hatched at 28 days and that is very rare indeed. I must have gotten the humidity and temps all wrong. It was not a healthy chick and needed help to hatch and also help when developing. He grew into a beautiful Maran roo boy though.

So don;t give up but be mindful that these things happen and after 28 days I would be thinking " time to quit". Most folks buck out at 25/26 days but as I had live chicks hatch 27/28 days I wont buck out till after that now.

Good luck

oes

 

[daoustaj]

thank you. my temp was good but i think my humidity was the problem, i should have used sponges or such instead of misting them. i will wait a bit for. i have cut them in half in numbers and all of the ones i broke open were TINY. On day 8 or 9 i could see all of them moving. and heart beats, they must have died immediatly after thwt. . the 4 left look darker inside, but maybe they just died later. wish me luck!!

 

[oesdog]

Don't get dispondent. Even the best of us don't get great results. 100% live hatches are very rare indeed. It is hard especially when you have seen them inside growing and you don't get a chick. You know the old saying - "Don't count your chickens before they hatch". Well there is good reason for that!!! I had a really bad time too. The first time I tried hatching my own eggs I got only 7 live chicks out of over 20 eggs. One had to be distroyed at birth because it hatched with it's guts out and was sadly unviable, 4 were roo boys so no good to me as I can't keep roos and only 2 were girls! I was so disapointed especially as when I opened up a deal of the other eggs they were at full term and had died of shrink wrap. This happens when your humidity levels are too low.
I tried again last year and all 6 of the eggs in the incubator died. - So it happens to us too. Your not alone so don't feel bad about it. Just pop a few more eggs in and try again. God in his infinate wisdom created Millions of eggs just for idiots like us to try and hatch chicks!

Oes

 

[daoustaj]

none of them hatched, the ones darker inside were still tiny.

 

[jak2002003]

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

This test does not work as I just found out today. I took your advise and floated the eggs that were from under a broody hen that had gone over the hatch time a couple of days.

All 3 of them sank. So I threw them over my fence into the woodland as I thought they would be rotten and might explode. The nest had flooded a week earlier and the eggs chilled, so I presumed they had died then.

As I threw the last one it hit the fence post and fell to the ground. Inside was a live chick! I presume the others had chicks in them also. It looks like it was due to hatch any day. I am so upset with myself and regret following your advise. I am unable to find the other 2 eggs and so they will die also.