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Chick Dies in Shell on Day of Hatch

post #1 of 13
3/29/12 at 6:01pm
Thread Starter 

Today is hatching day for my new chicks incubated under my hen. We were devastated to find that the first chick that penetrated the shell, died before it could hatch. hit.gif I'm curious as to why this chick died, I can't think of anything that would have done this. This is my first hatch, so I'm somewhat unexperienced.

 

On the bright side, one egg hatched successfully and two are still on their way!

Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
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Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
Reply
post #2 of 13
3/29/12 at 6:12pm

Sorry for your loss but, glad you have more  - Hope they rest do Great!

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post #3 of 13
3/29/12 at 7:08pm

Sometimes there isn't a logical reason.  I lost a chick today that was able to pip, but not zip...and when I opened up the chick looked normal, but for some reason just couldn't make it through the process.  It is a sad event, but seems to be part of the process.  Good luck with the others! 

Current flock consists of Black Copper Marans, Ameraucanas, EE's, and Pekin ducks.  We also have a small flock of Katahdin sheep...we just had 8 adorable lambies!

 

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Current flock consists of Black Copper Marans, Ameraucanas, EE's, and Pekin ducks.  We also have a small flock of Katahdin sheep...we just had 8 adorable lambies!

 

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post #4 of 13
3/29/12 at 7:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by abbylane35 View Post

Sometimes there isn't a logical reason.  I lost a chick today that was able to pip, but not zip...and when I opened up the chick looked normal, but for some reason just couldn't make it through the process.  It is a sad event, but seems to be part of the process.  Good luck with the others! 



Thanks! Another one hatched and the other is getting there!

Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
Reply
Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
Reply
post #5 of 13
3/29/12 at 8:43pm

As others said, sometimes they are just unable to hatch and nobody knows why.  My last hatch, all 6 that I set made it to hatching day, but one of them just made a hole large enough to get its beak through, chirped for a while as the others were hatching, and then died.

Congratulations on the ones that made it, though! jumpy.gif

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post #6 of 13
3/29/12 at 9:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fleabuskitty View Post

As others said, sometimes they are just unable to hatch and nobody knows why.  My last hatch, all 6 that I set made it to hatching day, but one of them just made a hole large enough to get its beak through, chirped for a while as the others were hatching, and then died.

Congratulations on the ones that made it, though! jumpy.gif


It's odd how these things just happen, your story is just like mine. I feel so bad, hit.gif maybe they weren't strong enough to live on.

Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
Reply
Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
Reply
post #7 of 13
3/29/12 at 9:47pm
Thread Starter 

One question though, one of the chicks that hatched was inbred between my roo and his sister. Will there be future problems with this chick? I actually had the most doubt about this egg hatching, but I thought it was worth a try. Turns out, it was the first to hatch! The chick that died was the first to crack the egg though

Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
Reply
Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
Reply
post #8 of 13
3/30/12 at 3:32am

  Unlike the human world, in the animal world the fittest survive. The one that make it have the best chance of a full and productive life.  That's the law of nature. We should learn from it.

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post #9 of 13
3/30/12 at 2:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by khatar View Post

One question though, one of the chicks that hatched was inbred between my roo and his sister. Will there be future problems with this chick? I actually had the most doubt about this egg hatching, but I thought it was worth a try. Turns out, it was the first to hatch! The chick that died was the first to crack the egg though

As far as I know, inbreeding doesn't really affect the first generation, but inbreeding generation after generation will definitely cause problems.

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post #10 of 13
3/30/12 at 6:08pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fleabuskitty View Post

As far as I know, inbreeding doesn't really affect the first generation, but inbreeding generation after generation will definitely cause problems.



That's good then, next time I hatch chicks I will have either a different hen or different rooster.

Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
Reply
Chickens are great pets, they're not expensive, they're fun, and though we go through a lot to take care of them........
They do pay rent with healthy eggs!!!!

a barred rock hen, a white legohorn hen, a one-eyed gold star hen, a frizzled black EE pullet, a rescued pullet of an unknown breed, and a silver black EE cockerel
Reply
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