How long can eggs Turn?

[denasfarm]

5 of the 19 chicken eggs in my bator I do not know when they started. The hen hatched one chick over a week ago and left these. They are very alive just way behind the original egg. I am not even sure if they are all on different days!

They could hatch tonight...or in a week... We are watching careful for pips.

So would it hurt them more to keep turning them or to stop turning too soon?
They are in a Hovabator 1588.

If I candle again tonight is there anyway I can tell how close they are to hatching?

Thanks so much!
Dena

 

[swtangel321]

when you candle them what do you see ?? is it all dark ???

 

[Toast n Jelly]

I've read of people leaving them in the turner until they pip though I've never done it ...seems to be okay with them. Check the size of the air cell should be about 1/3 of the egg when they are ready to pip if your humidity was correct.

 

[BirdBoy88]

When i incubated my duck eggs i didn't know what day they were on.. all i knew was the hen stop setting on them so i left them on the turner till i saw pips witch i did 3 weeks later..lol and i took them off the turner once i saw the pip and by the next day i had baby ducklings

 

[Akane]

Alot of birds turn their eggs right up until they pip. It also won't hurt if you stop turning them a day early. You should be able to tell within a few days of how close they are to hatching though. By day 18 you can't really see anything but a dark mass filling the egg and an air cell. If there's much open space around the chick you probably want to keep turning them.

 

[denasfarm]

I candled. All 5 still alive and 10 of the others alive. Lost 4...
Of the 5 in question one EE was dark and had a larger but not 1/3 aircell.
The two silkies looked the same 'age' but not as ready as the first.
The other two EE look to have a week going by the first one but not the same level (of each other).
Now I am real confused

Im not letting this happen again!

I guess I will leave them in the turner and just keep watching, its not like its flipping them in loop de loops. I just worry if they pip the wrong end I may not notice until its too late unless they are very vocal.

I dont have a hydrometer 'yet'...but I am following the directions for the 1588 so hopefully the humidity is right on.

This is my first bator hatch!