Day 23 winter broody hen, candled & accidentally cracked egg!

[Wildwomanhomestead]

So I let a broody hen incubate eggs during the winter, a risk I know. I candled them on day 16 and all was good. I was planning to move mama and her eggs to a private brooder on the evening of day 17. Unfortunately in the afternoon of day 17 she was kicked off her nest by other hens and the eggs got cold for a couple hours, it was about 25 degrees Fahrenheit that day. So I figured it was a loss but moved them anyway hoping for a miracle. Today was day 23, still nothing. I figured they were dead but wanted to confirm as I was considering getting chicks for her to adopt, but hoping maybe they were alive as I know with lower temps incubation can take a little longer. I’ve been reading that with a hen incubating, humidity is less of an issue so I figured I’d go ahead and candle and see what was up. I went out to the coop after dark so I could candle easier. I was super careful to be gentle and keep eggs in the same position as I slid them out from under her. Much to my amazement, the first egg was alive and moving and sounded like it was pecking at the shell. Though air cell seemed extra big, like a third of the egg, not sure if that means something? The second egg… as soon as I picked it up, my thumb went right through the side of the shell! The chick peeped loud at me. I think it might have pooped on me too from being startled. Definitely got chicken poop on me in that moment and that’s the only thing I can think of. Like runny white chick poop, not broody mama poop. Anyway, It was alive! I immediately felt absolutely terrible and put it right back. I barely touched it. Did I just kill it after all that it’s survived? Or was it in the process of hatching and the shell was already cracked? I know you’re not supposed to interfere with hatching and I never would’ve intentionally. I’m not sure what, if any consequences there are for what I’ve done?

 

[NatJ]

Did I just kill it after all that it’s survived? Or was it in the process of hatching and the shell was already cracked? I know you’re not supposed to interfere with hatching and I never would’ve intentionally. I’m not sure what, if any consequences there are for what I’ve done?

It might live, it might not. I don't think anyone can tell for sure at this point. You will probably know the answer tomorrow, or possibly the next day.

Yes, it might have been in the process of hatching. If it is fully hatched by morning, and seems active and healthy, that is what probably did happen.

 

[Wildwomanhomestead]

Update: chick was dead the next morning. Only 2/3 of its way out of shell, partially fluffed and warm. Looked perfect, fully developed, seemed bigger than average maybe, no blood, yolk seemed to be absorbed (though I’m not an expert on what that’s supposed to look like) there was what appeared to be a little glob of whitish chick poop at it’s cloaca (as I previously mentioned when I accidentally cracked the egg the chick seemed to get poop on my hand). Not sure what all that means? Did my thumb happen to bump right into its belly and force stuff out?? Is that what killed it? Other potentially noteworthy thing is that the whole shell was fractured into little pieces. When I had accidentally cracked it the night before, I was amazed at how the shell seemed to pop in my hand with the slightest touch, almost as if from pressure within. Odd especially since it made it 3 weeks of being candled and sat on by mama without any issues. Not sure if this explains anything? The shell and membrane was easily peeled off the dead chick though only connected at its umbilical. I feel absolutely terrible about what I’ve done and just want to better understand exactly what happened.

 

[NatJ]

Update: chick was dead the next morning. Only 2/3 of its way out of shell, partially fluffed and warm. Looked perfect, fully developed, seemed bigger than average maybe, no blood, yolk seemed to be absorbed (though I’m not an expert on what that’s supposed to look like) there was what appeared to be a little glob of whitish chick poop at it’s cloaca (as I previously mentioned when I accidentally cracked the egg the chick seemed to get poop on my hand). Not sure what all that means? Did my thumb happen to bump right into its belly and force stuff out?? Is that what killed it? Other potentially noteworthy thing is that the whole shell was fractured into little pieces. When I had accidentally cracked it the night before, I was amazed at how the shell seemed to pop in my hand with the slightest touch, almost as if from pressure within. Odd especially since it made it 3 weeks of being candled and sat on by mama without any issues. Not sure if this explains anything? The shell and membrane was easily peeled off the dead chick though only connected at its umbilical. I feel absolutely terrible about what I’ve done and just want to better understand exactly what happened.

Chicks sometimes do die at hatching time, for reasons we never learn. So this might not have anything to do with what you did.

I don't know why the shell popped in your hand, but that does not sound normal to me. There may have been something odd about that particular egg, or about the way the chick was pressing against the shell at that time, or something of that sort.

You say you aren't sure if the yolk was fully absorbed or not: it probably was. Unabsorbed yolk can be pretty obvious (big red lump, or yellow goo that spilled all over the place, or something like that.)

I hope this is not the case, but the hen herself may be to blame. Some hens squish their chicks by mistake, or peck at the little "intruders" because they don't realize the eggs have hatched into chicks. Or the hen could have moved off the chick and let it get too cold (maybe if she was unsure what it was and how she should react.) If the hen was responsible, she might do it again with future chicks, or she might learn from this and be a very good mother in future. Either one is a possibility.

I think you may never know for sure whether you or the hen or something else was the cause of this