2 silkie chicks dead in shell

[Jessie22]

I had 6 silkie eggs, 4 hatched and are healthy. The other 2 eggs I did the water test, naturally they floated right, there was an air sack. I waited til day 24 and opened the eggs. Bother of the chicks were fully formed had soaked up the yoke and blood vessels and was facing the air sack but just died. What happened? Maybe they weren't healthy but looked like it. I still have 4 healthy silkie chicks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

So many possibilities. Some of which may not apply since you did have 4 hatch.

The first thing to always consider is that there was improper incubator temperature, humidity, turning or ventilation.
Did the others hatch early or late?
Next thing is improper temperature, humidity or ventilation in the hatcher (if one is used).
Contamination from molds or bacteria.
Were any of the embryos malpositioned?
Another consideration is breeder nutritional deficiencies, especially vitamins A, B12, D, E, K, biotin, thiamine, riboflavin, folic, pantothenic or linoleic acid, selenium, phosphorus, calcium or manganese.
It could also be hereditary, lethal genes or chromosome abnormalities.
Breeder diseases.

Other things that may not apply are incubator opened too much during pipping or hatching, poor shell quality, excessive fumigation.

 

[Jessie22]

After reading your information, I say it was from the breeder since they were suppose to be White Silkies and she sent me 17 eggs and only 6 were fertile. My 4 chicks, 1 hatched a day early and the other 3 hatched on day 21 (hatch day). They were suppose to be white and they were shipped eggs. See my white Silkies????????? ha. I still love them though. 10 guinea eggs out of 10 hatched, and they were from a hen here at home and were in the same incubator.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Most people don't consider breeder nutrition as a cause since they figure it was something that happened during incubation.

Layer feed is adequate for egg production but not adequate for producing healthy chicks. That requires a higher level of nutrition.
Add to that, some people want to 'spoil' their chickens with 'treats'. Often those things can further diminish nutrition.

If I can't get a breeder feed (which I haven't been able to find in a couple years), I'll try to ferment their feed (which limits loss of fines where micro nutrients are) and then add some kelp, fishmeal and occasionally berries like blueberries, blackberries or goji.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

After reading your information, I say it was from the breeder since they were suppose to be White Silkies and she sent me 17 eggs and only 6 were fertile. My 4 chicks, 1 hatched a day early and the other 3 hatched on day 21 (hatch day). They were suppose to be white and they were shipped eggs. See my white Silkies????????? ha. I still love them though. 10 guinea eggs out of 10 hatched, and they were from a hen here at home and were in the same incubator.

IDK about silkies, but most my white birds were yellow at hatch.