Should I be worried?

[lotz2612]

Hi

I have 15 eggs in my incubator...13 of which have been in there for 4 and a half weeks...the other 2 only 2 and a half weeks. We have seem movement in the eggs (i put spots on the top f the eggs and they have defo moved - and i turned the rotator off a week ago so its not that...there is defo something inside) but nothing has hatched.

What should I do. Might try and candle them tonight and see what I can find...althou havnt ever done this before so any suggestions?

 

[Kedreeva]

Since you are using 4 weeks as a time frame and not 3 weeks, I'm going to assume you have something other than chicken eggs. If you have duck eggs, then they should be hatching any day depending on the sort of duck eggs they are; if you have muscovy eggs, then you probably should have left the turner on for a bit longer, as they have a 35 day incubation period, not a 28 day. If you're hatching something other than ducks.... I have no idea. Also, I hope you are still turning the ones with only 2 weeks on them.

 

[High Roost Ranch]

If these are chicken eggs, you're going to have a horrible mess to clean up very soon if you don't remove those 4 week old eggs. Incubation period for chicken eggs is 21 days. No more, unless there is a short term power failure or something unique like that for an exception. You can candle an egg at 7 days and see very definite vein and embryo development. If you are new to the game of hatching, wait until day 10, the signs are more obvious. Those on day 10 not showing any development should be removed from the incubator and discarded. They aren't fertile and will never be good. You can candle your eggs by using a powerful flashlight or penlight. You should see an air sac at the top of the egg (the rounded end) and the chick development will be approximately in the center of the egg product itself. You should see the embryo and blood veins developing. By shining a light on the embryo, that will cause it to move around.

 

[lotz2612]

They are bantam eggs. Normally, under our hens, they hatch out after 28 days...i'm guessing this in unusual too?

 

[Kedreeva]

yes.... normal chicken incubation is 21 days. Bantams usually 19-21, if I recall! So that's definitely very unusual for chickens. Have you experienced many chicken deaths or deformities with prior hatches?

 

[lotz2612]

Nope..they have all been very healthy and happy...hmmm...strange!