Double-yolker developing...is it cruel?

[ninjapoodles]

Should I end the development of the egg in my incubator that appears to be developing two embryos? They're on Day 11 right now, and both embryos very active. My husband made a joke about "playing God" by letting them incubate, but I didn't realize the egg was a double when I put it in there--I just knew it was larger than the others. Well, longer, anyway.

I know from reading here that when there are two chicks in one egg, they almost always both die. Is it more humane to just kill them now, or would you let them keep developing until they quit?

 

[Mrs.Puff]

NO-- let them try to grow. They have hatched before. Someone on BYC has had this happen, and she documented it on YouTube. It's on the forum somewhere.

 

[ninjapoodles]

I'm just such a newbie hatcher--they couldn't have picked a worse "Mom!"

 

[miss_jayne]

well, putting ANYTHING in the bator could be seen as 'playing God'.

a broody hen would sit on a doorknob, so why not a double yolker? they can't see inside or promise an 100% hatch every time when sitting on anything, so go for it.

 

[Mrs.Puff]

That you are concerned about the welfare of your twins just shows that you are a great "mom". Keep up the good work.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
Well, that is a big dose of common sense--thanks!

We are having a sudden cold front and ice storm right now, and just got all the hatches battened down, so I have nothing better to do than fuss over the incubator. Too bad it's not hatch day!

 

[gumpsgirl]

You will always wonder if you had let those chicks finish growing, if they would have hatched or not. Let them grow and good luck! They could still hatch.

 

[ninjapoodles]

The air cell looks plenty roomy...

Let the obsessing begin.

 

[miss_jayne]

Quote:
Well, that is a big dose of common sense--thanks!

We are having a sudden cold front and ice storm right now, and just got all the hatches battened down, so I have nothing better to do than fuss over the incubator. Too bad it's not hatch day!

we are having crazy cold with weird storms coming through, so see, we're supposed to be nestled in and hatching! only three weeks max! you can read your books and check on eggs! woo hoooo!

 

[Katy]

I'd never knowingly put a double yolker into the incubator just because they're almost always doomed to failure if they do try and develop, but if I was in your shoes now I don't think I could toss it out either at this point in time.