Egg is 5 days out from hatching and is dented/cracked

[lizzard14]

One of our eggs that is 5 days out from hatching has a dent/crack in it. I don't know if she stepped on it or if one of the other eggs bumped it or what. There is nothing leaking out of it, just a pretty good size dent. Does anyone know if this egg and baby chick are still good? Will it still hatch accordingly? Any and all advice is very much appreciated. Thanks
lizzard

 

[PD-Riverman]

One of our eggs that is 5 days out from hatching has a dent/crack in it. I don't know if she stepped on it or if one of the other eggs bumped it or what. There is nothing leaking out of it, just a pretty good size dent. Does anyone know if this egg and baby chick are still good? Will it still hatch accordingly? Any and all advice is very much appreciated. Thanks
lizzard

It can hatch but most seal the crack with something---some use a piece of good tape, some wax, some hot melt glue, etc, etc, Me, just according to the crack---I do not usually hatch $100 chicks so if its cracked "to much" I would remove---so it does not draw fire ants, etc to the nest, But I rarely have a cracked egg because all my broody hens are in private hatching pens---95% less damage and problems than being with the flock.

 

[lizzard14]

Thanks PD-Riverman. Well, I went ahead and removed the egg, I didn't want to draw ants in there with the momma and the rest of the babies. We do keep her in a separate pen but one of the other hens slid in behind me as I was working trying to get the corners "baby proof". I removed the egg and brought it in the house and I put it in a bowl, on a towel, with a lamp over it and tin foil all around. I'm going to see if I can go ahead and hatch it. It was still alive when I candled it. There is still nothing leaking out of the dent/crack, so here's hoping that I can hatch him or her. I have hatched some before like that, keeping the temp around 100 and the last couple of days spritzing them with a fine mist. I figured I'm not losing anything by trying. Thanks for the advice.

 

[lizzard14]

Oh, and do you think I should still put a piece of tape over the crack? I didn't know when the little fella starts moving around if it would split right open.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Oh, and do you think I should still put a piece of tape over the crack? I didn't know when the little fella starts moving around if it would split right open.

A lot of people do "patch them and hatch them" Like I said---I rarely have a cracked one and I never patch them so Go for it and stick it back under mom---as long as it is patched---should not draw ants.