Egg a dud or late bloomer?

[tricialemon]

Hello! So as some background, this is my first hatch.

My Australorp is very broody so we finally got a rooster to give her some good eggs to lay on, and we started out with 5 viable eggs initially (candled around 3 days and could see embryos starting). Unfortunately, a few days later, she had moved too much straw from underneath the eggs and 2 of them broke on the bottom of her nesting box, so that same day I put 7 more eggs under her in hopes of getting at least a few chicks. (They are spaced out 4 days so the others should be hatching today and tomorrow if all goes well.)
I must say, I was pretty naive at first, thinking nearly all of them would turn out to be sweet fluffy chicks, but we lost the second of the original eggs and one of the second batch got cracked somehow.
Our first chick came right on time, 21 days, but it's now been 5 days since. There should still be 1 egg from the original 3 but it hasn't hatched yet. I tried the floater test yesterday because I was worried it was DIS, but it was a low floater and I took that to mean it might hatch in a day or so. I don't want to kill a chick that might just be a late bloomer and a little weak at birth, but am I being too optimistic? Is there a chance a viable egg can hatch at 26+ days?

Thank you!

 

[R2elk]

Our first chick came right on time, 21 days, but it's now been 5 days since. There should still be 1 egg from the original 3 but it hasn't hatched yet. I tried the floater test yesterday because I was worried it was DIS, but it was a low floater and I took that to mean it might hatch in a day or so. I don't want to kill a chick that might just be a late bloomer and a little weak at birth, but am I being too optimistic? Is there a chance a viable egg can hatch at 26+ days?

Do not use the float test to determine whether an incubated egg is viable. It is a worthless and harmful test. If you want to check an incubated egg for viability, learn how to candle eggs.

It is very likely that your egg is not viable if it was set the same day as the other eggs.

 

[tricialemon]

Do not use the float test to determine whether an incubated egg is viable. It is a worthless and harmful test. If you want to check an incubated egg for viability, learn how to candle eggs.

It is very likely that your egg is not viable if it was set the same day as the other eggs.

Oh no! That’s good to know then. I read a sticky post on here talking about how to perform it so I had no idea it could potentially harm the chick. I feel badly that I tried it now...
And I must need to buy a “professional” candler or get a much brighter lightbulb because I tried candling it and since it’s so far along all I saw was a black mass.

 

[Owenp_2]

Hello! So as some background, this is my first hatch.

My Australorp is very broody so we finally got a rooster to give her some good eggs to lay on, and we started out with 5 viable eggs initially (candled around 3 days and could see embryos starting). Unfortunately, a few days later, she had moved too much straw from underneath the eggs and 2 of them broke on the bottom of her nesting box, so that same day I put 7 more eggs under her in hopes of getting at least a few chicks. (They are spaced out 4 days so the others should be hatching today and tomorrow if all goes well.)
I must say, I was pretty naive at first, thinking nearly all of them would turn out to be sweet fluffy chicks, but we lost the second of the original eggs and one of the second batch got cracked somehow.
Our first chick came right on time, 21 days, but it's now been 5 days since. There should still be 1 egg from the original 3 but it hasn't hatched yet. I tried the floater test yesterday because I was worried it was DIS, but it was a low floater and I took that to mean it might hatch in a day or so. I don't want to kill a chick that might just be a late bloomer and a little weak at birth, but am I being too optimistic? Is there a chance a viable egg can hatch at 26+ days?

Thank you!

Yes, there is a chance I would wait and see tomorrow when you should candle it again if you see movement or growth. If you so you will want to poke a small hole in it so it can help assist it in hatching. If a day after that still nothing I might give up on it. Another way when you poke the hole is if you see movement or if you hear a chirping noise. Good luck and I hope it hatches!!

 

[R2elk]

Oh no! That’s good to know then. I read a sticky post on here talking about how to perform it so I had no idea it could potentially harm the chick. I feel badly that I tried it now...
And I must need to buy a “professional” candler or get a much brighter lightbulb because I tried candling it and since it’s so far along all I saw was a black mass.

A good flashlight works well if you adapt it so that you have all the light directed into the egg whether by using your hand or another method.

You can see my adaptation here.

Be sure to candle from the air cell end.

 

[The Happster]

And I must need to buy a “professional” candler or get a much brighter lightbulb because I tried candling it and since it’s so far along all I saw was a black mass.

Does your phone have a flashlight? Try that. Depending on how strong it is in comparison to your flashlight, it could make a big difference.
I do not use the float test.

 

[R2elk]

I tried candling it and since it’s so far along all I saw was a black mass.

That would also be what you will see if the egg is rotten. If the egg is rotten, gently moving the egg while candling will make it look like it is a liquid and moving to equalize its level as you change its position.

 

[Sonya9]

Water candling is effective at this stage because the embryo should be full size and movement should be easy to spot. You are looking specifically for jiggling/movement. Do not try this early in incubation as the embryo is too small to make the egg move.

Use body temp water and make sure the shell doesn't have any cracks/pips.

This spring I water candled 5 of my hens eggs on day 19 (I already knew one had likely quit). It was 100% accurate and fast, the eggs jiggled within 10 seconds (4 live chicks and one dud).

 

[tricialemon]

Yes, there is a chance I would wait and see tomorrow when you should candle it again if you see movement or growth. If you so you will want to poke a small hole in it so it can help assist it in hatching. If a day after that still nothing I might give up on it. Another way when you poke the hole is if you see movement or if you hear a chirping noise. Good luck and I hope it hatches!!

Thank you!! I have all my fingers and toes crossed we’ll have some sweet babies soon, haha!

 

[tricialemon]

A good flashlight works well if you adapt it so that you have all the light directed into the egg whether by using your hand or another method.

You can see my adaptation here.

Be sure to candle from the air cell end.

Thank you so much for all your advice! I love that adaptation, and will have to try it for sure.
I used the brightest flashlight I could find and a toilet paper tube covered in electrical tape, but it seemed like there was no air cell at all...does that mean it’s probably rotten?