No signs of hatching on day 21?

[the poppster]

Yeah I have 3 different styles of thermometers in there and all 3 read the same. I checked this morning and the eggs still seem devoid of life. I do want to candle them but I'm not sure that that would reveal anything of worth. At times I feel like this incubator is cursed because of all the crap it has put me through  !

I started out with a Hoverbator incubator....but since some of my hens decided to go broody on me I took the eggs out and gave them to the two most serious hens.....worked like a charm....but they still didn't hatch right on time....when I candled them I found the same as you describe . I checked closely and saw the tiniest of movement....so I put them back and let nature take its course... give them some more time...good luck!!

 

[buddhabrahma905]

The broody hen route would've worked perfectly for me if my brahma hadn't ruined my trust in broody hens. We placed 4 eggs under and she killed every chick as it pipped. That and we don't have a broody hen. I'm just wondering if me taking the eggs out to candle them will be detrimental, or if I should just leave them alone and hope for the best.

 

[the poppster]

I started out with a Hoverbator incubator....but since some of my hens decided to go broody on me I took the eggs out and gave them to the two most serious hens.....worked like a charm....but they still didn't hatch right on time....when I candled them I found the same as you describe . I checked closely and saw the tiniest of movement....so I put them back and let nature take its course... give them some more time...good luck!!

Devoid of life?..Air Cell....and at this point you might not be able to see anything but a dark blob filling the area below the air cell..my be an uneven edge along the base of the air cell....if they are clear...and contents shifts around inside the shell. They are devoid!!!

 

[buddhabrahma905]

Yeah what I meant by devoid of life was that they showed no signs of hatching or behaviour typically associated with hatching. No peeping eggs, no rocking and rolling, no nothing.

 

[RubyNala97]

They may be a day behind. You could candle a few eggs to see if the air cell has drawn down. It will double in size right before hatch and form to the chick. You can see movement if you look at the edge of the cell where it meets the chick. The size of the air cell will tell you how close to internal pip they are.

 

[buddhabrahma905]

You're sure it's safe to do that? I have heard that opening the incubator right now will essentially doom the hatch.

 

[FridayYet]

It all depends on if you have good humidity. Many people open theirs often during lockdown, provided your humidity recovers fairly fast.

Are you super curious or can you be patient (LOL)

I know I'd candle like Ruby mentioned.

 

[buddhabrahma905]

I'm super curious haha and at this point my patience is failing me. If say I did candle, is there any 100% certain way to tell if the eggs are alive because candling can only reveal so much.

 

[RubyNala97]

I'm super curious haha and at this point my patience is failing me. If say I did candle, is there any 100% certain way to tell if the eggs are alive because candling can only reveal so much.

If you open the incubator during lockdown, it's best to do it when there are no pips. Once they pip and are getting outside air directly into the shell it can be more risky and could possibly lead to shrink wrapping. But in your case I think you're safe to candle. Like Friday said, it depends on how high your humidity is and how fast it recovers. I think candling is your best bet. Make sure to do it in a dark room, so you can get the most out if it. There's also water candling but that's usually a last resort for me. It all depends on what your comfortable doing!!

 

[FridayYet]

Not sure there is a 100% way to check. If you see movement or hear peeping, it's alive. No movement and no peeping, it could still be alive.

I recently rescued an egg from a crazy broody. Candled and just saw black and air cell. Water candled and at first nothing, but after a while saw a big twitch so popped it in the incubator, Next day I had a pip, zip and hatch - all from an egg I was pretty sure was a goner.

Like Ruby said, if you are going to candle, best is before any pips!

Let us know what you see