No signs of hatching on day 21?

[buddhabrahma905]

I am however going to try water candling within the next two hours if I still see no progression

 

[the poppster]

Another question I have is when to try assisted hatching?

well if you are sure they may be dead...sacrifice one and crack it open....gently....if it's alive you want to be Careful....you might get it started and see if the chick can do the rest on its own..and there's a good chance that others might be ok...just slow hatching..but if it's dead it won't make any difference....I'd still give them another day or so.

 

[buddhabrahma905]

So if I were to assist hatch I should just crack a small hole on the air cell end and proceed from there right? What happens if the chick isn't ready to hatch?

 

[FridayYet]

Have you read this article? It's good: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

 

[buddhabrahma905]

I have, but it doesn't seem to indicate what to do if there's no internal pip and no chirping.

 

[FridayYet]

.

*IF** however YOU DO NOT HAVE AN INTERNAL PIP AND YOU CAN’T HEAR CHIRPING and YOU DO NOT see MOVEMENT please proceed to The Float Test ~ Checking Egg Viability. Give Eggs A Full 24 Hrs Overdue Before Float Testing ONLY AFTER CANDLING and NO Internal pips and NO internal MOVEMENT or CHIRPING! This procedure takes very little equipment Or time to do and Is Easy To Perform. If your egg is still viable, place back in the bator and wait! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/383525/float-testing-checking-egg-viability-for-late-or-overdue-hatching
​

Did you float test? (Water candle?)

 

[RubyNala97]

So if I were to assist hatch I should just crack a small hole on the air cell end and proceed from there right? What happens if the chick isn't ready to hatch?

Honestly, I would recommend not trying to assist a chick if it hasn't internally pipped unless you are prepared for it to die. Before I had experience assisting I did it, and killed a perfectly formed chick that wasn't ready and felt horrible!! Give it another day and water candle.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ng-egg-viability-for-late-or-overdue-hatching

 

[buddhabrahma905]

They all floated but there was no movement. Disappointing. I think this hatch is toast and that's just really sad to me. I put in so much work to drive around the city during the power outage trying to keep them warm and it will probably all be for nothing.

 

[RubyNala97]

They all floated but there was no movement. Disappointing. I think this hatch is toast and that's just really sad to me. I put in so much work to drive around the city during the power outage trying to keep them warm and it will probably all be for nothing. 

For what it's worth, I did the float test once and had no movement and the egg was alive. Not trying to get your hopes up but just wanted to share my experience.

 

[FridayYet]

It is sad, and I hope a few beat the odds - but after all that, it doesn't look like the chances are very good.