How long should I give my eggs to hatch after the scheduled hatch date??

[Asuitfamily]

Ok so I have a few eggs in my incubator and this is my first time, The temp. has dipped a little lower than normal a couple times but not for long, I heard that if that happens it may take another day or so. I know you are supposed to give them 21 days give or take a few but how many days do I give before I call it a no hatch?? Today is day 23 and no piping or anything, I candled them before lockdown and everything seemed fine so I guess my question is how many more days should I give them to hatch before I throw them out?
I've also heard of people having them hatch at 25 days? I'm kinda worried but more frustrated and anxious than anything!!! Any advice/success or nonsuccess stories welcome!!
Thanks everyone for your time!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Temperature is the most important to any hatch. a low dip here and there isn't to any great ill but an overall lower temperature will delay your hatch and if low enough will go beyond incubation time what that species was intended. This results in extremely poor hatch rates and higher rates of weak chicks. Basically it's the best that did hatch but due to less than ideal conditions are weak. They can bounce right back once feeding and some may have defects for life. The same with hatching too early though that side of higher temps tends to have chicks that are underdeveloped so the problems lay there.

I'd think your thermometer is reading low, or perhaps your not using a fan so should be reading temp at top of eggs 101.5F instead of 99.5F. If you are using a still air or just use the same thermometer if not and incubate 1.5 degrees higher next time. They earliest you want to see large chickens start to pip is day 18 and latest is day 22. Those would be small adjustments on your temp to get closer to optimum; some starting day 20 and all ending end of day 22. Remember, it's fine if a thermometer is off as long as it reads true to itself and you'll know the adjustment to make in your hatches each time to ensure greater success rate.

Humidity is second importance and the same goes for a hygrometer, salt test it (google hygrometer salt test) and know how much it's reading off.

I have one thermometer and know it reads less than 1 degree low. I can calibrate my hygrometer before each hatch. With these I've found my best hatch so far is running temp 100F with fan and keep humidity to 35% first 18 days then 55%. Doing this (with that thermometer) my chicks start day day 20 and all healthy chicks finish by mid day 22. Last hatch had two unable to break free of shell, aided day 23 and they died anyway so they were simply weak with 16 vigorous chicks.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

you are at the CANDLE tap stage..... PLEASE READ THE ABOVE ARTICLE BEFORE YOU TRY TO ASSIST HATCHING.....

CANDLE & Tap!
Candle and look for an internal pip. Pencil mark the air cell,
​

Below is what an internal pip it looks like.
The beak is thrust through the inner membrane into the air cell.



Tap with your fingernail GENTLY on the air cell and hold to your ear, Can you hear a peep?​

 

[nok13]

we had some hatch on the 25th day but to tell the truth, those that hatched way late, came out weak and with defects so that could also be the reason they come out late in the first place, although lower temps, like we had, seemed to also cause a slight delay. just eggtopsied the 10 eggs that didnt hatch... three had chicks in them, but they were probably weak chicks cause they hadnt even tried to pip. the others were jsut icky oozy yolky things...

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I wouldn't lose all hope until end of day 25.

Not much else to say as you've candled so just wait it out.

Good Luck.

 

[gabrielle1976]

If you are sure there is no pips go ahead and candle the eggs again and see if you can hear them peeping or see movement. But they can hatch as late as day 25 . Let us know how it goes

 

[MamaJess]

In the same boat, we are hatching 36 eggs and today is day 20!! Before lockdown we tossed 9 because they were clear. We left the two that looked blood streaked. So that left us with 25 hopeful hatching chicks. Yesterday morning we had one hatch and it died shortly there after. It actually didn't make it out of the shell completely. Today when I woke up and went to check on the other 24 eggs one looked like it was pipping. Just a small crack on the shell. It continued to rest for about 6 hours. After I put my son down for a nap I heard some little chirps and went to check. That stinker had zipped and was almost hatched in a matter of 20-30 minutes!! Now it's 3 hours later and it looks to be strong and fluffing up nicely in the incubator. I am hoping for more action over the next 3-4 days but will probably call it quits on day 25. At any rate, thanks for sharing!!

 

[chippysmom327]

I would wait for about a week after Day 21. My hen hatched on Day 22. I had 17 eggs. One hatched on Day 20, most hatched one the wee morning hours of Day 21 and continued to hatch all that day. Day 22 in between 2 AM and 6 AM a lot more hatched and Chipmunk (my hen) was the last one to hatch around 4 PM on Day 22.

So all chicks hatch at different rates! I would just wait and keep an eye out.

 

[Asuitfamily]

Wow thanks guys for all of your very useful information, the chick did not make it out and died inside but was clearly very weak, so now I can make some adjustments with my incubator and keep all this information in mind and try again soon! You guys are so helpful thank you for the advice!!!

 

[RoyalLegend]

it seems that most chicks that don't hatch by day 23, for whatever reason, really won't do well anyway.
any chicks that we have had to straggled in late, seem to have curled toes, or something odd about them.

so even if they "can" hatch, you might not want them anyway.