Water test day 21

[Dbopp]

I'm on day 21 incubating dark chicken eggs. I want able to candle due to how dark they are. I did the water test and all sank but 2. The 2 that floated only about a dime size was out of the water. And no movement. Still a chance of a baby chick?

 

[User690263]

I'm not an expert, but I'd say that if there's not movement, the chick inside likely did not survive. You could just wait and see though. Good luck!

 

[nuthatched]

Day 21 from set or from day 2? Day 2 is the real day 1.
Don't water test unless you're desperate, it can cause issues.

 

[Dbopp]

Day 21 from set or from day 2? Day 2 is the real day 1.
Don't water test unless you're desperate, it can cause issues.

Thanks. It was from day 2. I didn't count day 1 as day 1, i counted day 1 as zero. If that makes sense. Today is now 22, and still no cracking of the egg. I don't know how long i wait until giving up. This is my first time. Unfortunately my main rooster died trying to defend the girls and i took eggs fertalized by him and so was really hoping for a baby from him.

 

[Dbopp]

I'm not an expert, but I'd say that if there's not movement, the chick inside likely did not survive. You could just wait and see though. Good luck!

Thank you, how long do you typically give? Today is 22 and still no cracking.

 

[User690263]

Chickens usually hatched between 20-21 days. Have you tried candling them with a bright light?

 

[Susan Skylark]

Water candling can be helpful, but you must make sure there are no cracks or pips or the chick will drown. Old eggs should float (fertile or not, developed or not) as the air cell grows as the egg loses moisture to the air. Living eggs should wiggle, bob or create some movement. Dead eggs just sit. I only do it after everything else has hatched and make sure it hasn’t pipped. Doing it right around hatch dates isn’t a good idea.

 

[Dbopp]

Chickens usually hatched between 20-21 days. Have you tried candling them with a bright light?

Yes, they were all dark brown and olive eggs, so i could never see in them when candling

 

[Debbie292d]

Yes, they were all dark brown and olive eggs, so i could never see in them when candling

I soak my freshly arrived shipped eggs in Odoban solution for a minute before setting them so can attest your water testing, provided there were no cracks, is safe for the eggs. I just don't put much merit into it, as I've heard too much from both sides of this and would hate to make a mistake.

I hatch a lot, and sometimes for whatever reason I'll have pipping starting on Day 18 or 19, and another time nothing until the 21st day. If you can't candle, I'd just ride it out another day. At this point, there's a very minimal risk of an issue if any died and you left them in there another day.

Hopefully, we'll see you posting a picture of a couple of chicks!