Cracked Open Egg Too Soon - Thought it was a dud egg

[cluckingheck]

I was really hesitant to post this but I got an egg out from under one of my broody hens that was due to hatch any day ( they were put under her the 6th ) last night. All of the other eggs under her were duds and I figured this one was too ( it was a blue egg and even the brightest flashlight I had didn’t show anything when I tried candling throughout incubation ). It was cracked too so I thought she tried getting it out of the nest, so I cracked it open to see if it was a dud altogether or had quit early but the chick is fully developed. Wasn’t ready, though, and I feel awful now. It bled some and I got the bleeding to stop and I rushed to get my incubator out. It’s sitting in a cup and part of its shell still. This happened at 10pm last night and the chick is still alive, surprisingly. I don’t know if it absorbed the yolk completely or what and I was panicking some and didn’t check. I don’t know if it had internally pipped either but it’s breathing on its own. It’s staying in the same position like it’s still in the shell and hasn’t peeped or anything but it moves its mouth some. Not gasping, but how a chicken does when it has something on its tongue. What should I have the humidity in the incubator set to? It’s at 70 now

 

[BelovedBirds]

I was really hesitant to post this but I got an egg out from under one of my broody hens that was due to hatch any day ( they were put under her the 6th ) last night. All of the other eggs under her were duds and I figured this one was too ( it was a blue egg and even the brightest flashlight I had didn’t show anything when I tried candling throughout incubation ). It was cracked too so I thought she tried getting it out of the nest, so I cracked it open to see if it was a dud altogether or had quit early but the chick is fully developed. Wasn’t ready, though, and I feel awful now. It bled some and I got the bleeding to stop and I rushed to get my incubator out. It’s sitting in a cup and part of its shell still. This happened at 10pm last night and the chick is still alive, surprisingly. I don’t know if it absorbed the yolk completely or what and I was panicking some and didn’t check. I don’t know if it had internally pipped either but it’s breathing on its own. It’s staying in the same position like it’s still in the shell and hasn’t peeped or anything but it moves its mouth some. Not gasping, but how a chicken does when it has something on its tongue. What should I have the humidity in the incubator set to? It’s at 70 now View attachment 3164173

You did the right think by stopping the bleeding and putting her in the cup in the incubator, you must've been in a panic, but you did well after the mistake!
When you say the chick is opening it's mouth, do you mean like in a yawning or chewing motion? This would indicate that the baby is still absorbing yolk.
What did the crack on the shell look like? A single line, crushed, or more like an X or star shape? Just wondering if it's possible baby had external pipped.
Have the veins receded at all?
Is she still in the shell?

 

[Egg Blues]

I don't know if using a low temp might be helpful in a case like this, but I would feel better if it were about 37.2 degrees C (99 degrees Fahrenheit). It's still in incubation mode, right? Be sure the humidity is maintained between about 60 and 70 as well to keep the membranes soft and prevent shrinkage. My two cents.

I've opened an egg that was shrink wrapped and helped the chick hatch--in stages, because I was worried about the blood vessels I thought I was seeing at first. Ended up leaving the little guy in the shell for additional hours--may have gone longer than necessary. It survived just fine.

 

[cluckingheck]

You did the right think by stopping the bleeding and putting her in the cup in the incubator, you must've been in a panic, but you did well after the mistake!
When you say the chick is opening it's mouth, do you mean like in a yawning or chewing motion? This would indicate that the baby is still absorbing yolk.
What did the crack on the shell look like? A single line, crushed, or more like an X or star shape? Just wondering if it's possible baby had external pipped.
Have the veins receded at all?
Is she still in the shell?

It’s moving it’s mouth in a chewing motions. It was cracked at the pointy end in a spiderweb like pattern. Kind of look like it had gotten stepped on; didn’t look like it was trying to get out yet. The hen is a bantam so I doubt she crushed it but she’s nested in boxes still accessible by the other chickens; they just hardly lay there. It’s head was pointed towards the air cell/big end, though.

The picture I posted is what it’s currently looking like. It didn’t bleed profusely but there were still veins present; not sure about now. I’ll open the incubator and look in a bit. But, yeah, it’s still partly in the shell that I hadn’t chipped away. It’s hard to get a good picture without opening the incubator

 

[cluckingheck]

I don't know if using a low temp might be helpful in a case like this, but I would feel better if it were about 37.2 degrees C (99 degrees Fahrenheit). It's still in incubation mode, right? Be sure the humidity is maintained between about 60 and 70 as well to keep the membranes soft and prevent shrinkage. My two cents.

I've opened an egg that was shrink wrapped and helped the chick hatch--in stages, because I was worried about the blood vessels I thought I was seeing at first. Ended up leaving the little guy in the shell for additional hours--may have gone longer than necessary. It survived just fine.

The temp is at 99.5f, but the humidity is at 70. At this point, I don’t think the chick will become shrink wrapped from how much membrane came off before i realized it was alive.

 

[cluckingheck]

Well…uh. I initially didn’t want to make this post when it happened because I didn’t want to come back in the morning and be like “sorry, guys, but it died.” I figured it had a chance after it survived the night and me being gone for an entire work shift. It just died sometime after I made this post to now…. It ruptured its yolk sak

 

[BelovedBirds]

Well…uh. I initially didn’t want to make this post when it happened because I didn’t want to come back in the morning and be like “sorry, guys, but it died.” I figured it had a chance after it survived the night and me being gone for an entire work shift. It just died sometime after I made this post to now…. It ruptured its yolk sak

I'm sorry for your loss!
Dont feel bad about having started the thread, there's always a chance that this could help someone in a similar situation someday. While they're alive, there's always that hope, and asking for advice is good. I'm really sorry it didn't make it

 

[MimiRatt]

Sorry for your loss, honey, but thank you for starting the thread! I could see myself doing that exact same thing, but not knowing what to do.

 

[cluckingheck]

I'm sorry for your loss!
Dont feel bad about having started the thread, there's always a chance that this could help someone in a similar situation someday. While they're alive, there's always that hope, and asking for advice is good. I'm really sorry it didn't make it

Yeah…I don’t know why I figured it would’ve lived. Admittedly, it probably lived longer than what they usually would. Most of the posts I read when something similar happened, the chick died within a few hours. Next time I’ll just leave things be until day 25 or longer even if they are cracked. It probably would’ve made it if I had just left it alone.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Yeah…I don’t know why I figured it would’ve lived. Admittedly, it probably lived longer than what they usually would. Most of the posts I read when something similar happened, the chick died within a few hours. Next time I’ll just leave things be until day 25 or longer even if they are cracked. It probably would’ve made it if I had just left it alone.

sometimes they do survive, but it really depends how much yolk is left. It's very unfortunate that this one had ruptured it's yolk
There's no telling what would've happened if you hadn't intervened, but don't beat yourself up, we all make mistakes.