Is is safe to candle on day 20?

[gameboygal12]

Is it ok to candle my chicken egg at day 20? It hasn't piped yet or anything, So I wanted to see if it was still alive. My instinct says no, But I just wanted to hear what other people had to say.

 

[Turkeyrangler]

wait

 

[kvmommy]

Wait. They're not due until day 21 and often hatch much later than that. Besides, you're probably not gonna see much. I'm not very experienced but this is what I was told. IF they are internally pipped you don't always hear peeping and you could shrink wrap them. My first hatch I was convinced nothing was alive. Day 21, I heard chirping, Day 22 they hatched. My 2nd hatch...convinced nothing was going to hatch, didn't hear chirping from any of the eggs, all of the sudden I had a chick and tons of pips...still no chirping. Sooo. be patient and go with your gut and wait.

 

[wowmanacat]

I have had no sound or movement in eggs and al of a sudden I will have chicks in the bator. The dog will hear it before I do most of the time and she is right there watching, she is a good "chick mom dog"

 

[ScissorChick]

They should be in lockdown on day 20. They are not supposed

to start hatching until day 21, so this egg is most likely perfectly fine. Your

not going to see anything this late into incubation, either. Nothing but

darkness and the air sac. Just wait.

-Scissor

 

[Alexander]

Just wait.It is just one day.If you candled in day 10-15 and you saw an embryo moving then its probably alright.

 

[gameboygal12]

Thanks guys! I last candled it before lockdown at day 18 and it was moving so I guess it's fine. Now I need to leave the house soon so I'm not starring down this egg!

 

[Mixbreed]

I'm in the same boat rowing the direction, LOL Waiting is best, as everyone here has said.

I'm and day 20 and starring down the eggs, Had to go to work though, Which is good,
Tomorrow will be hard, I'll sit and watch all day. LOL
Hope your hatch goes well. and the little chicks are happy and healthy.
All the best.

 

[Colleen228]

I am just reading this as I am new to this. I am not a breeder but just a kindergarten teacher trying to give her students a fun and exciting experience. Wow what stress!! I am on Day 16 (started counting the morning I put the eggs in the incubator). Therefore Day 18 should be Sunday and I need to take them out of the turner and don't know what to do as my school is not open.

Dilemma, do I take them home and risk moving them or do I leave them and take them out on Monday AM first thing and put them on lockdown then and hope that it is not too late.

Help! Any advice in the next couple of hours would be much appreciated.

Colleen
Ottawa ON Canada

 

[Toast n Jelly]

I am just reading this as I am new to this. I am not a breeder but just a kindergarten teacher trying to give her students a fun and exciting experience. Wow what stress!! I am on Day 16 (started counting the morning I put the eggs in the incubator). Therefore Day 18 should be Sunday and I need to take them out of the turner and don't know what to do as my school is not open.

Dilemma, do I take them home and risk moving them or do I leave them and take them out on Monday AM first thing and put them on lockdown then and hope that it is not too late.

Help! Any advice in the next couple of hours would be much appreciated.

Colleen
Ottawa ON Canada

Hi Colleen, I think that you'll be fine to take them out on Monday. You really don't want to shake up the incubator too much now that they are established. If you do this again just calculate your days to coincide with your presence. Good luck!

Edited to add this link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101