What do I do with this Dark Egg?? Day 21

CorinneBHappy

In the Brooder
Feb 26, 2020
17
17
13
Ok, so I posted yesterday about a low pipper who successfully hatched (phew). So 2 down and 1 to go...I have just the 3rd egg left in the incubator. We are at Day 21 almost to the hour, heading into the beginning of Day 22.

The last egg is very thick. I haven't been able to successfully candle it at all the entire time. I took the chance and now at day 21 I swear I heard a little scraping inside earlier...I did the float test and it was for sure moving on it's own, quite a lot actually. My concern is it wasn't floating "well" meaning the air sack doesn't seem to be large. It was upright in the water but barely above the surface if at all.

Is it time to intervene or is that ok? I'm not sure if the chick could possibly puncture the air sac and eventually suffocate, and at what point would that happen? They all went in at the same time and the other two pipped at nearly the same moment about 30 hours ago.

Follow up question is if I do in fact need to make a pip hole for the chick how do I know where to make it since I can't candle to see the air sac line or whether the chick has made an internal pip?

Thanks so much for your help!! I'd be so very pleased to get all 3 chicks on the first try!!!!
 
Float tests are to see if eggs are rotten, not viable at day 21. I would just leave it alone in the incubator for the next day and hope it didn't drown. My last batch I had 1 on day 20, 2 on day 21, and 1 late in day 22.
Well, float tests are for both actually. When you're checking an egg to see if it's good to eat you can float in ice cold water...when you're checking for movement in a chick egg from the incubator you float in 100 degree water to see if it has a viable air sac and if there is movement in the egg. But the poster above said that this could suffocate the chick which I certainly hope I did not do!!!
 
Having a better light in a dark room will tell you where the air space is, but at day 21 I'd leave it be in the incubator and let it hatch if it's going to.
Thank you. I'm searching for a better flashlight and not having luck...and, I'm resolved to just let it be until at least tomorrow evening either way. There was for certain movement when I floated it so there is 100% a chick in there. I'm hoping she just pips and zips. Time will tell!
 
But the poster above said that this could suffocate the chick which I certainly hope I did not do!!!
If it can suffocate the chick, I wouldn't say it's for both. Just because people do it doesn't mean it is a safe or reliable method. I'd love to see a trusted resource saying to check eggs for viability at day 21 by dropping them in water...
 

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