What would happen if I opened the top of the egg to see...

[ginbart]

I would like to know if they are alive.

Can I open the top at the air sack and look?

What would happen if I did this?

Would it hurt them if I put a paper towel over the top that I opened?

 

[asher]

When are they due?

You could prematurely dry out the insides which may cause them not to be able to hatch later and/or hatch with problems.

I would not advise it, personally.

 

[Akane]

You probably cut the chance of it hatching by at least half doing that. I have done it on late eggs and then had them hatch out fine but it's risky. You should only do it if your about ready to give up on some eggs. First step would be to try candling and see if they've pipped the air cell or if you can see movement. Removing an egg from the incubator when it's hatching though is also risky. The low humidity could dry the membrane making it impossible for the chick to break the membrane and pip or get an already pipped chick dried to the inside of the shell so it can't move around to hatch.

 

[jimnjay]

Sorry, I did not realize they were already past due. You can tell if there is a live chick by tapping on the egg shell. They will usually peep in return. If you hear nothing, wait for 30 more minutes and tap again. Chicks can get stuck and will still be peeping from within the egg. Some do die before they are able to pip the shell. I have never helped a chick hatch that has not pipped the shell. It just seems that if they can't get that far on their own there is most likely something not right within the egg.

 

[ginbart]

Quote:
They were due yesterday and I have 10 little fuzzy butts but with the temp at one time of 113 I thought if I checked them maybe I could help.

I guess I won't touch them and see what happens.

 

[Akane]

I wait until 24hrs after the last one has hatched and there are no pips to consider checking the other eggs. I've never had one hatch that late. They are always dead or stuck if they don't pip within those 24hrs of the others finishing hatching.