Morgan's Canadian IPA - Still Fermenting?

[jtmwhyte]

I'm a first time brewer and have had the wort sealed in my primary for 6 days with an airlock/bung containing Na meta. There are still bubbles coming up through the airlock, but the directions on the kit say to leave in the primary for 3-4 days.

a) Is there any way aside from dipping my thief in and taking a hydrometer reading to know it is ready for the secondary?

b) would there be harm in taking a sample from the primary (bucket) to test gravity and then returning it to the primary?

 

[Calder]

Never return a sample back to the beer due to chance of contamination. Drink it.

Throw the instructions away, and just leave the beer where it is for 3 weeks and then go straight to bottle.

Since it is still bubbling (I assume at a reasonable rate), it's still working.