Did I accidentally kill my chick? 😢

[EasterEggerRose]

I had 7 eggs in my incubator, and six of them hatched out, but with the remaining egg, shells, and rambunctious chicks, I was worried that the youngest hatched one would get trampled or suffocated because there wasn't much space left in the incubator.

I reached under the lid for just a second to grab the four that had fluffed out, leaving two freshly hatched ones and one partially hatched one. I noticed that soon after I moved the fluffy ones to the brooder, the partially-hatched one want moving inside the shell anymore.

I can't imagine the humidity dropped that fast, but maybe?

Did I accidentally kill my seventh chick? And if so, to prevent that in the future, is there any way to keep them from trampling each other in there? Or doesn't that matter?

 

[nuthatched]

You didn't do anything, it's just resting.
Unless you left the lid off and made a sandwich, they're fine

 

[Sussex19]

You didn't do anything, it's just resting.
Unless you left the lid off and made a sandwich, they're fine

This or, there always is a possibility that it could have died. Not though anything you did, but just because with all baby animals some won't be as strong as others.

 

[EasterEggerRose]

This or, there always is a possibility that it could have died. Not though anything you did, but just because with all baby animals some won't be as strong as others.

I'm afraid it's dead. There's a decent-sized chunk off of the shell where I can see the break, and it's not moving at all anymore.

Thanks for the encouragement, though!

Unless you left the lid off and made a sandwich, they're fine

 

[sourland]

I seriously doubt that anything you did caused the chick's death - if indeed it is dead.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I'm afraid it's dead. There's a decent-sized chunk off of the shell where I can see the break, and it's not moving at all anymore.

Thanks for the encouragement, though!

I'm so sorry. I do hope your chick makes it.

Please know, there are so many reasons why one chick or another may not make it. As amazing as it is to set eggs, and watch them come alive and hatch, and get fluffy, ultimately the whole thing is NOT actually 100% within our power or control. Sometimes chicks or chickens die because it's just their time. Stay strong.