"Water Test" Question

[ICE_Lilly]

Someone had mentioned on another post of mine to check the eggs in water and see if they move at all as a sign that they may still be alive and hatch. I did that the other day and thought I saw one move so I decided not to toss the eggs and wait it out. This morning we had our first ever egg hatch!!

I decided to try the water thing again and see if anything happened to the other 10 eggs and it looked like a few more moved a bit so they're back under Momma Hen. But 2 of them sunk right to the bottom of the bowl. What does that mean? Are they bad? Should I toss them? I have 8 "good" ones (I think) under her now and I removed the other 2 that sunk and wanted to know what you thought? Thanks!

Elysia

 

[ICE_Lilly]

So I think I figured a good way to candle them so I checked and one of them was a dark mass with a big air sac on the side and the other wasn't anything so I tossed the one that didn't develop and put the other one under Momma Hen to see if anything happens. **Fingers Crossed**

 

[Akane]

I don't think dumping a fertile egg in water would be a good idea. I lost part of a hatch because the eggs touched water and soaked up too much of it. Also the water can help bacteria into the shell. That's one reason you shouldn't wash eggs and if you do the water should be warmer than the egg.

You should be able to tell by at least day 14 usually by day 10 whether the egg is doing anything or not. They will either have a dark area, be completely dark, or clear with just a slightly darker maybe yellowish area for the yolk. Clears are bad. The rest you can leave and check in a few days to see if the egg is darker meaning the chick is growing and taking up more of it.