Can you help with this deformity? (GOOD NEWS on 2nd chick)

[MamaMarcy]

I have 3 Jersey Giants hatching today. 2 PIPd and are making lots of noise. The third was the one that barely passed the float test, hasn't peeped. and when I hold the egg to my ear nothing. I float tested it again this morning and it rocked. It just wasn't seeing right though, so I PIP'd for it (ya ya I know...shame on me)...and still it wasn't moving. After giving it some time, I inspected further and it looked still/dead - in starting an egg topsy it moved but listelessly, and I found it's beak...and it's head. Exposed brain. What causes this?

I have a still air set at 100 degrees. We've had several power outaages this incubation, the longest being 6 1/2 hrs. I hope the 2 working at zip'ing are ok.

Thanks

 

[tec27]

Could be a genetic mutation. Could have been the power outages. Most likely it was the inconsistent temperature.

 

[MamaMarcy]

It seems most likely it would have been a problem in early incubation. The power outages were well over halfway thru incubation. I read soemwhere that HIGH spikes days 1-3 tend to be responsible. I don't recall having any high temp spkikes. I'll never know for sure...I know these things can "just happen."

 

[MamaMarcy]

Good news amongst the sad. I culled the 1st chick with exposed brain (feeling it was the humane thing to do), but now the 2nd chick has hatched and is perfect. He's a gorgeous silver color with LONG chick fuzz. The 3rd egg started to zip and is at a standstill, but the chick inside seems active. I'll let him continue to work at it.

 

[MamaMarcy]

3rd chick is out! I helped him zip about 1/4 inch and he took over from there. He looks perfect.

I feel lucky to have these 2 healthy chicks. I had asked the ebay seller to package them a certain way and I must not have described it well cause a few came smooshed. So, 3 out of 7 made it to hatch, even if I did have to cull the one poor baby.

 

[Squawkbox]

So sorry about the one that you had to cull, but at least you got a few cute chickies! Post some pics please

 

[SherrieT]

Congrats on the healthy chicks. It's so hard sometimes to do what you know you have to.

 

[MamaMarcy]

Once I find my camera I'll take pics