I did the float test and killed a chick :(

[pinelli-farm]

Ok now what did I do wrong. I did the float test like the directions said and I had two that were on the bottom of the dish. The others floated and about 15% was above water.
Well I opened the sinkers and 1 was VERY alive and I killed him.

I even let it sit for a bit before I broke him open to make sure he sunk. Now he sunk with the big end on the bottom and little end up. I killed this poor little guy. he is about 4 days from hatching is that why?
I cooked the eggs last night because my preschooler got up and messed with the nob I think it was 105 in there this morning so I wanted to float to see if they were alive.
did I do something wrong?
the water was several inches deep.

HELP! poor little guy!

 

[chickee]

Candling is the way to check your eggs to see if the chicks are alive. The veins disappear at the edge of the air cell if the chick has died. Sometimes people do the float test if the chicks have not hatched after 21 days to see if the chick is still alive, but not before. Sorry

I'm sure that was very upsetting!

 

[pinelli-farm]

Thanks for the tips! I didn't know that about the veins. What do you use to candle. I can barely see anything. I have a very small flashlight I am using. Its the bright one I can't remember the name of it.
I am having a hard time even seeing the air sack.
So I tried to candle but didn't see anythign moving and I can hardly see anything really. At the beginning it was easy to see but now its so hard since they are grown.
I will keep an eye out on the veins though. Thats great to know. Poor little thing. I murdered him. I feel terrible!!
This incubator stuff is hard work.

I think I would rather have human babies.

I was surprised by the sinking because the thread said the float test is nearly 100% even before they are late. I still can't figure out how that happened. Unless maybe the air cell was damaged? I don't know. I guess I won't be doing that again.

I just want to start all over again.

I have some due at different times because I had a late shipment so I set them a week later. I will never do that again either because I forgot to mark which ones and now I have no clue what is late and what is still growing. Learned a lesson.
I know wish I would have done all the research before I took up hatching.

It was for a school project for my homeschooled kids. I just followed the very measly short directions that came with the bator.

 

[chittyn]

i only have a small torch you must candle them in a completely dark room. the more the chicks grow the more the egg darkens inside good luck

 

[pinelli-farm]

Thanks for the tips! I didn't know that about the veins. What do you use to candle. I can barely see anything. I have a very small flashlight I am using. Its the bright one I can't remember the name of it.
I am having a hard time even seeing the air sack.
So I tried to candle but didn't see anythign moving and I can hardly see anything really. At the beginning it was easy to see but now its so hard since they are grown.
I will keep an eye out on the veins though. Thats great to know. Poor little thing. I murdered him. I feel terrible!!
This incubator stuff is hard work.

I think I would rather have human babies.

I was surprised by the sinking because the thread said the float test is nearly 100% even before they are late. I still can't figure out how that happened. Unless maybe the air cell was damaged? I don't know. I guess I won't be doing that again.

I just want to start all over again.

I have some due at different times because I had a late shipment so I set them a week later. I will never do that again either because I forgot to mark which ones and now I have no clue what is late and what is still growing. Learned a lesson.
I know wish I would have done all the research before I took up hatching.

It was for a school project for my homeschooled kids. I just followed the very measly short directions that came with the bator.

 

[Arielle]

Sorry you lost the chick during the float-sink test. You will like the candling method better-- no drownings.

See the sticky at the top of this section for some help with candling. DOes take some practice. I kept all the eggs thru day 23 my first time! Just didn't trust my candling abilities! By the second time, I could match my eggs to the pics better and felt more assured of tossing at least the blood ringed eggs.

Candling has a number of purposes: to see veining day 4-8, a blob that grows and fulls the eggs; and verify the increasing size of the air cell. The latter is mostly what you were trying to accomplish with the float-sink test.

Live and learn, and try again! GL

 

[h4ppy-chris]

i am lost for words

it's not a float sink test!!!! READ

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
Sorry, don't understand. READ what, plz?

 

[h4ppy-chris]

AN EGG CAN SINK its because its body mass is greater than it's air cell..... you put them in water to watch the ripping on the water to see is movements !!!

 

[Harpo]

Quote:
Sorry, don't understand. READ what, plz?

i think what he means is when you place them in the water a live one will start thrashing about almost immediately because of the heat transference through the shell.... does that help?

Sorry you went through that, but don't beat yaself up over it - see it as a valuable lesson...

www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=383525

Take a look at the above link...

I made a few dousy's and mine are still pipping at day 24.....