Double-yolk egg hatched, with bad result

[TexasVet]

The last chick of the batch had pipped, but wasn't making further progress, so we helped it out of the shell. Lo and behold, there was a second, much smaller chick in the other end of the shell, in its own sac. It hadn't had room enough to move and pip, so it suffocated, which was probably a good thing. It had been so tightly packed that its legs and feet were deformed... it never would have walked.

The survivor's feet were ok, but one leg was permanently extended backward. We tried to straighten it, but weren't successful, so we had to put it down.

This is the first time I've had a double-yolk egg develop, and it didn't turn out well. I'm going to be more careful about culling the double-yolks from the incubator in the future.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

PS: I should have taken a picture, but didn't.

 

[walkswithdog]

We've had successful hatches of a double yolk set of twins and a single survivor from a double yolk on this board. So it does happen but they're rare and they always need help.

In general doubles don't even make it to hatch date, usually something goes wrong with one twin and it takes the other with it. And it's very common for one or both hatched twins to have some defect.

That said it's not an exercise without merit from even just a candling practice stand point so I put about half of the double yolkers in the bator to watch what unfolds.

Given that they are low percentage eggs to begin with you're not risking much candling daily or every other day and getting to really know the process. It's good for diagnostic skills in the long run.

I put them in because there is always a slight chance one might make it to hatch and the process is interesting.

 

[TexasVet]

Just candled my current batch and culled another double yolker that was developing. I'd rather cull them as soon as I spot them, rather than risk another failed hatch.

My daughter was very upset over not being able to save the last deformed chick, and I don't want to go through that trauma again. I don't mind putting the chick down, but a distraught kid is another thing altogether!

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[janinepeters]

May I ask how you "put down" a baby chick? Literally, how do you do it? In the past I've had a few that I thought I would need to put down. They ended up being okay, so I didn't need to. But if I had had to, I am not sure how I would have done it.

 

[onthespot]

I have cut their heads off quickly with sharp scissors, also have done a quick pull and twist to their head, and also held them like it was a big chicken and I was going to use an axe on their neck to kill it, but instead gave a quick blow with the handle of the kitchen knife to the top of the head. The last way was absolutely the quickest, and felt like it got instantaneously from live to dead and was never uncomfortable for even a split second.... hope this helps.

 

[TexasVet]

Don't read this if you're sensitive!!!

The best way I've found is to shoot them right at the base of the skull with a BB gun. Mine is CO2 powered, so it packs quite a punch. It's strong enough to put down a grown chicken, although I usually use the .22 on them.

I just can't bring myself to kill chickens any other way.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[IggiMom]

There is a way to do it using hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, but I do not remember the percentages.

Re double yolks. Oddly, I don't think my chickens have ever given me one.

Catherine

 

[magikchick]

Quote:
I've tried this method and all I can say is don't do it. The chick didn't die and I had to twist the head to stop it's suffering. A sharp pair of shears is the fastest method.