How old can unhatched eggs be before you know they wont hatch?

[Frankschickens]

Hi, I am needing some advice please. I have a broody hen (first time mom) that has been laying on eggs for 24-25 days and one has hatched healthy, one died in the shell overnight and I found one dead hatched chick under her that she had been sitting on for 2 days and I didnt know it until it started smelling terribly. I have her in a clean new, clean bed and she is still sitting on the unhatched eggs which are 24 and 25 days old. I have done the floating test twice and they all float the way they should if there is a live chick. I didnt see them move though. Im just wondering how long before I can know if theyre going to hatch? I really want to believe they will hatch but dont have experience in this to know when its time to take them out of the nest or how to further check if they are alive. Thanks so much in advance for reading and responding

 

[nuthatched]

Have you candled them?

 

[Frankschickens]

No I havent yet. What should I see to know if theyre alive ?

 

[CluckerFamily]

I'll let an expert pipe in about the float test. I don't trust the float test because if there is the smallest crack or hole, the water would seep into the egg.
I wait until momma either walks away from the nest or I am certain of the hatch date, I will take the eggs at day 27-28 (just to be safe).

 

[Feathercrazie]

I'll let an expert pipe in about the float test. I don't trust the float test because if there is the smallest crack or hole, the water would seep into the egg.
I wait until momma either walks away from the nest or I am certain of the hatch date, I will take the eggs at day 27-28 (just to be safe).

chicken eggs should hatch at about 21 days. The latest would be 24 days. Pheasant eggs hatch at 28 days. Some very small bantam chicken eggs may hatch at 18 days. Unless another hen was laying in the nest with the hen after she started setting, all of your chicks should hatch by the third day after the first one hatches.

 

[CluckerFamily]

chicken eggs should hatch at about 21 days. The latest would be 24 days. Pheasant eggs hatch at 28 days. Some very small bantam chicken eggs may hatch at 18 days. Unless another hen was laying in the nest with the hen after she started setting, all of your chicks should hatch by the third day after the first one hatches.

True, but chicks could hatch a little later, not often, but it does happen.

 

[Frankschickens]

Thank you for all your responses. I wrote the date on each egg when she started laying on them. I will try the candling in the morning. What should I be looking for? Thank you all

 

[Frankschickens]

I candled the eggs today and the first 2 had liquid that moved when I turned the eggs. Those are 25 and 26 day old eggs. The 3rd one had a slanted air sac and was solid and liquid didnt move when I turned it. It didnt move like there was a living chick in there either. So Im not sure about that. I will take out the 2 bad ones and leave the 3rd one for a couple more days and observe it. Thanks for all your help and advice. I appreciate it!

 

[KauaiChickenMama]

Aloha, I was reading through your thread and was wondering what the end result was?

I had a few questions. On what day did your first chick hatch? Was it on day 21? And on what day did you find the dead chick in the shell? Was that also on day 21? What day did you find the chick that had been dead for two days? Day 23? Did you have hens adding their fertile eggs to the clutch after your broody hen started her incubation?