How long to wait on eggs with no signs of life??

[livin-green]

It's me again....I know, those darn newbies with the repetitive questions.....

But here goes--I've read several people saying they have had chicks hatch out as late as Day 25, but I'm curious under what circumstances do you wait that long? I set 16 shipped Ameraucana eggs (all the way from Washington state & I'm in AL). On Day 18 candling, 4 appear to be infertile--pretty much clear like when I set them. 4 have hatched--cute little fuzz butts

But...what about the other 8 eggs? As of 2:30pm today, we are on Day 23, and none are showing any signs of life, at least that I can tell. Do most of you who wait until Day 25 only do this if they have actually pipped or just wait regardless??

Thanks for the input!

edited title: "no" signs of life....oops!

 

[BawGock]

If they looked good when you candled them on day 18 I would hold out for at least another day..
You never know..maybe there were variances of temperatures in your incubator and some are going to hatch late.
That's my stab at it!
Good luck, I hope they hatch!
Carolyn

 

[needtohatch]

I am in the same boat. Mine started hatching Sat and the last today, but still have many eggs w/out pip. All were good at day 18. now onto day 22. I read that still air bators have hot and cool spots so can cause long hatches. I plan to wait one more day and see. I will be taking out all chicks as soon as last one dry so I can a least hear if any eggs are peeping.
Good Luck!

 

[livin-green]

Well, that's a loaded "if"....

I've never candled before, and I couldn't really tell much--the eggs were really hard to see into. On Day 18, they all had great air sacs at the top....the rest below that was just a dark blob!

I did have some temp. variations when the first 4 started hatching. The humidity shot up, as I expected, but then I couldn't get the temp stable.....so who knows?!?!

I'm so sad right now

I really expected more than 4 when I was super vigilant to keep everything stable, clean hands, good humidity levels....all up to the very end there.

 

[livin-green]

Quote:
Yes, mine is pretty much a still air. I did put two small aqua. tubes connected to a dual aqua. air pump into the far corners of the air holes. The motor on my auto. turner was getting super hot, so I was trying to disperse the air a little to keep it all more consistent. Maybe that was still enough variation to delay some of them....

Good luck with yours, too!

 

[BawGock]

Hang in there just a wee bit longer!
The dark blobs you saw sounds like the eggs have chicks in there.

Carolyn

 

[egggarden]

Oh my! I had just given up on 9 eggs (under a broody). I removed them, then came in the house to just look at incubating & hatching, read your post, and zipped back out to tuck them back under. She is still willing. The two buff orpingtons hatched out on day 22 - this is the end of day 23.......

 

[Ole Mule]

I am in the same boat day 22 and no piping shipped eggs appeared good nice air cell and a dark blob "Welsummers". I guess I will leave them until end of day 25. My yard bird eggs I set with them hatched one day early. So I know the temp and humidity was right. Shipped eggs doesn't seem to be doing so good. I guess the post office must have scrambled them to the point of no return.

 

[livin-green]

Quote:
That's what I' was afraid of, but I have 4 cute little fuzz butts that say differently...?? I figure if those 4 can (and not without problems, I might add), then surely a few more can make it! But the clock keeps ticking away....

Of my four hatched chickies, one broke the yolk and was nasty slimy--took forever to dry out, plus had a little bit still attached to the "belly button"--but it's doing fine....just a little crusty. Another seemed to pip really low, and when I asked about this, several inquired if it could be upside down. I'm absolutely sure I saw the air cell at the top when I candled on Day 18 and placed it in the hatching egg carton accordingly. However, it zipped and kicked the top of the shell off--yes, the chick was completely upside down! It made it though with no extra help from me and is the only black one out of the four (all others appear to be splash)...Dang it! They're supposed to be black, blue, and splash--I'm not gonna much color variety to work with if this is all I get.

 

[livin-green]

Quote:
Yea! I'm glad this might have saved yours....now if it would just make everybody's "late bloomers" finally hatch!