Sunken egg moving during water candling

[wild4chickens]

It's Day 23 and I wasn't seeing any movement or pipping in my 3 legbar eggs -- so I decided to try water candling -- 1 floated and moved -- 1 sunk to bottom but started moving -- the last one sunk to bottom with no movement. I put all 3 back in the incubator. My question is: has anyone done water candling and had an egg move when it was on the bottom? And what are chances of this egg hatching with live chick? It's my first time incubating eggs, so I'm so nervous! Thanks for your help!

 

[WalnutHill]

If the humidity was too high, the air cell too small, the eggs will sink and will likely not hatch viable chicks.

Did you monitor the air cell during incubation?

 

[wild4chickens]

I did not monitor air cell. What was concerning me was that the egg was moving while it was fully submerged at the bottom of the bowl. So not likely it will hatch?

 

[sumi]

Can you candle the eggs and check the air cells, etc? I've had chicks hatch on day 25, so there is a chance they're still viable. Don't worry about the egg being submerged, unless it was in the water for some time, it should be o.k.

 

[WalnutHill]

if the humidity has been too high, if the chicks pip into an air cell full of liquid, they can drown. At hatch time an egg should have enough air to float. But of course, the best course is to wait and see what happens to yours.

 

[wild4chickens]

So of the three eggs, 1 hatched this afternoon (a cockrel!) -- there are 2 left -- as of this morning, I could hear pipping in one, the other was silent. Tonight, the one that I heard pipping, I don't hear any longer, but when I candled, it looked like there was still some movement. So will leave in the incubator and hope that it hatches. It is day 26 today..!

 

[venymae]

Best of luck! Let us know what happens!

 

[lazy gardener]

Where there's movement, there's life, and hope. Have you read the assisted hatch info in the learning center? It's a must read for any one who is contemplating what to do with a chick who's having a difficult time.