Can someone explain how a chick drowns in its shell?

[alabama girl]

Kelly FG, I am so sorry, for your baby chick, I just threw away my two fully developed and dead chicks who never even pipped, everything had looked fine, and the other 5 had hatched, I don't know either, but I did have them in an incubator.

 

[Anne]

Sometimes fully developed chicks just die for no apparent reason. It happens.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yep sometimes it just happens. Also, some first time broodies don't know what they are doing and will accidently hold an egg too close to an edge and it gets chilled.

 

[tx_dane_mom]

I have wondered the same thing myself! Thanks for asking.
This hatch...for the 1st time...I have been a nut about humidity trying to constantly add water (like every night or other night) b/c I lost alot of perfectly formed chicks/ducklings and wondered if they couldn't get out b/c of humidity purposes...now this makes me concerned I might have overdone it!
My thought (not to hyjack your thread) was what would happen if we put a tiny hole in the top of every egg once they have pipped to kinda show them where to go & so they get fresh air to encourage exiting???

 

[Kelly FG]

thank you all so much for the replies