Has my chick died?

[Ashleylouisa]

Hello everyone,

Looking for some advice on an egg, on day 16 I candled and the big veins seemed to have disappeared and left only spidery ones, was gutted. I had also previously had lots of movement and now none. With it being my first time I didn't want to call it that day, we are now day 21 (this egg has its own incubator so if it exploded there is no risk to other eggs) I have still seen no movement and no improvement in veins, I am also wondering if I can see some extra bits floating in there, however she seems to have grown a lot. My question is, with the gases that are released could she be appearing to have grown when infact she has been dead a few days? This is my first time and I'm a total novice and clearly hanging onto this egg a little bit!

Hoping for some expert advice

Thankyou x

 

[nchls school]

Hello everyone,

Looking for some advice on an egg, on day 16 I candled and the big veins seemed to have disappeared and left only spidery ones, was gutted. I had also previously had lots of movement and now none. With it being my first time I didn't want to call it that day, we are now day 21 (this egg has its own incubator so if it exploded there is no risk to other eggs) I have still seen no movement and no improvement in veins, I am also wondering if I can see some extra bits floating in there, however she seems to have grown a lot.

My question is, with the gases that are released could she be appearing to have grown when infact she has been dead a few days? This is my first time and I'm a total novice and clearly hanging onto this egg a little bit!

Hoping for some expert advice

Thankyou x


Compare what you see while candling to the image for day 18 on the chart. The only difference is that a day 21 egg would be completely dark except for the air cell. A day 21 egg should be pipped.

Note the crisp line between the chick and air cell on the day 18 image/ Once the embryo dies this crispness breaks down and fades.

 

[Sonya9]

At 21 days the egg should look dark/black with just an air cell. At this stage you could also water candle to see if the chicks is alive (don't use that method earlier in incubation, but at 21 days the chicks should be large and moving).

1) Check the egg carefully for pips/cracks -- if you see any don't use this method
2) Fill a glass or dish with body temp water (not too warm or too cool)
3) Gently put the egg in pointy end down. It will partially float.
4) If the chick is alive you should see the egg "jiggle" slightly after a few seconds as the chick moves. Of course don't discard the egg if there is no movement, give it a couple of more days, but if it does move you know the chick is alive.

I used this method recently on eggs a day before the expected hatch and it was 100% accurate.

 

[Ashleylouisa]

Thankyou so much for your replies, there is a very small space to the side other than the air cell, mainly dark whereas day 16 (when I first stopped seeing movement) she was just to the side with lots of light areas left. Veins are still absent, just what looks like dark specs when they were very clear before. Absolutely no movement for 5 days now.

I will do the bowl trick but not expecting movement, she was very active before. Will keep you updated

Thankyou both

 

[Ashleylouisa]

Hi again, I have done the bowl trick and she sank to the bottom, air cell up

 

[Sonya9]

Hi again, I have done the bowl trick and she sank to the bottom, air cell up

Hmmm. I had a dead egg when I used the water method too but it didn't sink. It just didn't move.

It doesn't sound like your egg is alive but it can't hurt to wait another day. I hate reading stories of people that are too quick to discard eggs (or even crack them open) and then realize they made a mistake.

 

[Ashleylouisa]

Hmmm. I had a dead egg when I used the water method too but it didn't sink. It just didn't move.

It doesn't sound like your egg is alive but it can't hurt to wait another day. I hate reading stories of people that are too quick to discard eggs (or even crack them open) and then realize they made a mistake.

I'll absolutely give her another 2 days to be sure, it isn't causing any harm and I'd hate to be wrong

I'll keep you updated and thankyou for the advice

 

[Ashleylouisa]

Hi, just wanted to update you. I left my chick until day 25 so I could be sure she had passed. I even externally pipped the air sac end of the egg (leaving the internal membrane) intact and left in high humidity for 24 hours. Curiosity had me open the egg, it wasn't clear why she had died but the little love had gone around day 15-16 judging by her development, as expected.

Thankyou for your help x

 

[Lilokieescorter]

So sorry for your loss, I have lost a few, & there never really any explanation for why.

 

[Sonya9]

Hi, just wanted to update you. I left my chick until day 25 so I could be sure she had passed. I even externally pipped the air sac end of the egg (leaving the internal membrane) intact and left in high humidity for 24 hours. Curiosity had me open the egg, it wasn't clear why she had died but the little love had gone around day 15-16 judging by her development, as expected.

Thankyou for your help x

Just saw this. We pretty much knew that was the case but it is still sad.