dead chick in egg

roosterlover101

Chirping
Jun 24, 2018
19
5
56
I incubated an egg from my chickens in a small plastic incubator, meant for one or two eggs. I purchased the incubator from a hatchery. The directions for incubation were followed up until the end. The chick did not hatch on day 21 of incubation. There was movement (I think a heart beat) felt in the egg on day 23 of incubation. The chick did not hatch by day 25 of incubation. I opened the egg on day 25. Inside was a chick still sealed in the membrane fully formed except the tail end of the chick seemed somewhat mushy and oozed a yellow creamy textured liquid from a hole when very light pressure was applied. what was this liquid. Was the chick actually not truly fully formed? why would this happen? does this just happen sometimes? I would like to incubate and hatch a chick but I don't want to try this again and bring things to life just to make them die.
 
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I'm sorry to hear you lost the little one so close to the hatch. Here are some possible causes:

Diagnosing hatch failures - It starts with the egg

Egg failure to hatch - Diagnosing incubation problems
The likelihood of losing a couple eggs each hatch is he reason most people set larger hatches. It's so disappointing to wait those twentysome days and then lose a chcik! Sorry for your loss. But don't give up! Could you fit 3-4smaller eggs in the same incubator? You might have a better success rate then. and be sure to start with the freshest, most local eggs, as they don't travel well. Good luck!
 
The likelihood of losing a couple eggs each hatch is he reason most people set larger hatches. It's so disappointing to wait those twentysome days and then lose a chcik! Sorry for your loss. But don't give up! Could you fit 3-4smaller eggs in the same incubator? You might have a better success rate then. and be sure to start with the freshest, most local eggs, as they don't travel well. Good luck!
The little incubator only fits up to two. We are trying again with two. We own the rooster and hen that lays the eggs so they are pretty fresh. The baby will be of buff orpington roo and barred plymouth rock hen descent. Can't wait to see what they will look like.
 
Never do two because if one don’t make it the other one will lonely
How detrimental is this? We only have the option of incubating 1 or 2. The chick would get a lot of attention from my 12 year old daughter... Then when full grown would also have the company of it's parents.
 
If you only have the option of setting two at a time and you end up with only 1 chick, perhaps set another 2 the day your 'bator is available. There will be 3 weeks between the chicks, but I have often integrated chicks with 3 weeks between them with no problems. And you can use a tiny stuffed animal for a chick-friend when your daughter is at school and otherwise away from the chick. They really do like company. It's important you get it a friend as soon as possible. :)
 

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