Input pls - when to "give up"

[U_Stormcrow]

How many more days should I wait before carefully cracking it open to egg topsy?

I typically start off responding to this type of question with a question, are you counting the days right, so don't be too offended. This is a real common mistake on this forum.

...

Sorry that last one did not hatch but 8 out of 9 that developed is pretty good. I'd be happy with that.

Thanks Ridgerunner. I'm harder to offend than that, no worries.

This is an incubator hatching, I have no Broodies And all the eggs gather the first day had hatched (other than the suspect egg), as had all the eggs gathered the second day. And all the eggs from day three had externally pipped, zipped, or hatched - other than the one suspect egg gathered the first day. All had hatched "early" by my count before the full 21 days had occurred, and I was willing to go at least two days further, if that was the common wisdom.

As it turns out, it was a bad egg. But after my disastrous duck hatching (0 of 5), and my first chick hatching (4 of 12, similar number of infertiles), I am quite pleased with 8 of...

Soon as the last chick leaves its shell (completely zipped currently), I'm cleaning the incubator and starting over Jan 1 with whatever duck eggs I find in the run. ...and a 28 (full) day count.

Very best to you and yours with this New Year