Eggtopsy result: How is this possible? Stumped

[as110]

I just opened an egg with a dead chick
Inside. I wanted to see why it died. I had lots of malpositions in this hatch. This one was malpositioned as well ( facing away from the air cell toward the small end). It was moving up until day 23. It is day 25 so I removed it to check.

What is shocking is that this chick had the head under the right wing correctly, the only thing is that it was facing the wrong end.

All of the yolk has been absorbed. It was a perfectly good looking chicken with no defects.

How is it possible for the yolk to be absorbed before the chick pips? I thought it absorbs after they take their first breath, and if they can’t they die and the yolk stays outside. I have never seen a dead chick with yolk absorbed before pipping.

 

[cmom]

Humidity could be the culprit. I had the humidity too high and lost some in the past. When the humidity is too high during incubation and when the chicks pip the air cell they can drown from the condensation that can build up in the air cell. Now I incubate around 35%. I have had much better hatches. I have chicks hatching right now. I get the humidity up to around 75% when I put the eggs in the hatcher.

 

[casportpony]

How is it possible for the yolk to be absorbed before the chick pips? I thought it absorbs after they take their first breath, and if they can’t they die and the yolk stays outside. I have never seen a dead chick with yolk absorbed before pipping.

sorry for your loss. I could be wrong, but I think the majority of the yolk is absorbed before they pip internally.

 

[as110]

sorry for your loss. I could be wrong, but I think the majority of the yolk is absorbed before they pip internally.

This is perfect. Thank you
I didn't know this. I thought that was the 24 hours for after external pip.

This chick never pipped internally.

 

[as110]

This is perfect. Thank you
I didn't know this. I thought that was the 24 hours for after external pip.

This chick never pipped internally.

BTW I had chicks hatch with the yolk still unabsorbed. Which is why I thought it absorbs on the last day at hatch.

 

[casportpony]

BTW I had chicks hatch with the yolk still unabsorbed. Which is why I thought it absorbs on the last day at hatch.

I had them like that too and they don't usually survive.