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- #121
BroodyBettysMom
Chirping
Many Folks Are Having Eggs Go Overdue For Hatch And Wondering If They Are Duds, Late, Or Have Had Some Sort Of Fetal Demise.... The Float Test Is Simple Yet Effect Way Of Checking Egg Viability.
I Normally Give Eggs A Full 24 Hrs Overdue Before Float Testing. It Works On All Bird Eggs- Period! Takes Very Little Equipment Or Time To Do And Is Easy To Perform.
Start With A Bowl Of Sufficient Depth To Allow The Eggs Your Testing To Float Freely Or Sink. Add 100 Degree Water To The Needed Level And Allow It To Settle( Quit Swirling And Calm Down)
Once Settled Take The Egg Or Eggs To Be Tested And Gently Lower Them Into The Water With As Little Disturbance As Possible. You May Need To Wait A Few Minutes For The Water To Settle Again After Adding Egg/ Eggs. Then Just Watch....
Eggs Are Judged By Observation With Results As Follows:
1. Sinker= Dud, Never Developed
2. High Floater (like A Fishing Bobber Without Weights) Say 45% Or More Of The Egg Above The Water Line= Dud, No Development Or Fetal Demise, Likely Rupture Of Internal Membranes Causing The Egg To Dehydrate.
3. Low Floater= Viable Egg, Development Full Term
4. Low Floater Rockin And Rollin! This Is The Live Embryo Moving Inside The Egg= Definate Viable Egg!
Once Test Results Complete Take Viable Eggs And Gently Pat Dry And Replace In Hatcher. Duds Are Best Discarded At This Time.
It Should Be Noted All Eggs Warrant Close Inspection Prior To Float Testing--- Any Pips In The Shell? Do Not Float Test! If The Shell Is Broken, Pipped Or Cracked In Any Way Water May Enter And Drown The Chick Inside
This Test Works Off Of Air Cell Development With Embryo Growth. Infertile Eggs Will Have An Underdeveloped Or Absent Air Cell That Isnt Large Enough To Float The Egg....thus The Sinkers. Ruptured Membranes Will Allow The Egg To Dehydrate.... Thus The High Floater. Proper Development Of The Embryo Will Cause The Air Cell To Develope To The Point Where Viable Eggs Will Float With Approximately 10-15% Of The Egg Above The Water Line--- These Are The Viable Eggs. Obvious Movement Of The Egg Shows Signs Of Life For The Chick Within. Works On All Bird Eggs From Hummingbirds To Ostriches /img/smilies/smile.png
So, I tried this. If this is correct, the remaining 8 are all viable! One even dipped the egg under moving so much!
