Damn - lost one at the last minute!

[Gypsy07]

I had three good looking White Leghorn eggs in my bator at lockdown. One hatched out this morning. The other two pipped this afternoon and started to zip this evening. After two rubbish hatches with shipped eggs (2/10 and 0/12) things were looking great with these ones from my own hens. I was slightly worried that the visible membranes were looking a bit dry despite my hygrometer saying 75-80% so I quickly stuck in a damp cloth and misted while the door was open so the humidity didn't drop. One of the zippers pushed out a couple hours later and while I was peeking in at it I noticed the other one hadn't made any more progress and wasn't moving at all. Waited and watched a bit longer to be sure then lifted it out and cracked open the shell for a look. Stone dead but perfectly formed chick, popped out easily, not shrink wrapped or anything. I noticed a couple of bits of blood on the membrane where he had been zipping but nothing like enough to make him bleed to death. Bah! So annoying to lose them for no obvious reason and right at the last minute.

But looking on the bright side, 2/3 is 66% which is my best hatch rate yet, and they're both looking fine!

 

[9 Feathers Farm]

It has happened to me before. Had one 21 day old singing inside the egg one night before bed (hoped to wake up to a chick ), but that next day there was nothing. Waited all day and finally had to get the other chicks out. I cracked that egg and the chick was fully formed but dead. It made me so mad, I kept on wondering if I did something wrong, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be.