How can you tell if a chick is alive in an egg?
Understanding the basics of egg incubation
Incubating eggs can be magical—or stressful. You're constantly asking yourself, "Is there really a chick in there?" And more urgently, "Is it still alive?" That second question? It's a rollercoaster.
The importance of the incubation window
A chicken egg generally hatches around day 21. But the signs of life appear much earlier. From day 5 onward, things start getting interesting. If you're incubating at home, knowing what’s normal during each phase can help keep your nerves in check.
Tools you'll need
You don’t need fancy lab gear. A decent candler (even a bright flashlight can do the trick), a dark room, and a steady hand go a long way.
Candling: your window into the egg
What is candling?
Candling is shining a light through the egg to see what's happening inside. It sounds weird—like egg X-ray vision—but it works.
You place the egg over a small beam of light (in a dark space) and watch for shadows, movement, veins, or... well, sometimes silence.
What should you see?
Days 5–7: Clear blood vessels spidering out, maybe a tiny dark dot (the embryo)
Days 10–14: Movement. You'll probably see the chick twitching a bit.
After day 18: The chick fills most of the egg, so details become harder to spot, but you might catch slight movement or shifting.
Now—if there’s no veins by day 7 or it looks just like yolk... that’s likely a dud, sorry. But give it a couple more days if you're unsure. Some eggs are fashionably late.
Telltale signs a chick is alive inside
Movement
Yep, simple as that. If you see it wiggle even a little bit when candling, that’s your chick saying "still here!"
Sometimes, if you're real quiet, you might even hear faint tapping or chirping just before hatch. That’s the chick pecking the inner shell. (Cue emotional meltdown.)
Warmth and weight
This one's more subtle. A live embryo will keep metabolizing and producing heat—meaning that live eggs feel ever-so-slightly warmer after being out of the incubator a short time.
Also, a live developing egg gets lighter over time due to water loss. You can track weight if you're into spreadsheets and precision (I tried once… got obsessive fast).
The float test (with caution)
This is controversial. But here's the thing: some breeders use the float test around day 19–21. Gently place the egg in lukewarm water—if it wiggles or bobs slightly, there’s a chance it’s alive.
BUT WARNING: never do this early in incubation, and don't leave it in the water more than 30 seconds. Seriously, not worth stressing or drowning the chick.
When something goes wrong
Dead in shell (DIS)
Sometimes, sadly, the chick dies before hatching. If there’s no movement during candling after day 14, or a blood ring appears inside the egg, it may be a case of DIS. Harsh reality, I know.
What not to do
Don’t shake the egg. Don’t poke holes. Don’t keep turning it after day 18. And please, don’t open it early “just to check.” You might doom a chick that was seconds away from hatching.
Final thoughts: how to know—and when to trust your gut
Look, you’ll never have 100% certainty until that chick pops out and chirps. But using candling, staying observant, and not panicking over silence can save your sanity.
And hey—sometimes I’ve thought an egg was gone, left it alone, and bam! next day, fluffy surprise in the incubator. So yeah... sometimes patience is everything.
How much height should a boy have to look attractive?
Well, fellas, worry no more, because a new study has revealed 5ft 8in is the ideal height for a man. Dating app Badoo has revealed the most right-swiped heights based on their users aged 18 to 30.
Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.