Help First time parents

[Trodore]

So one of my hens went broody just before Thanksgiving. I gave her 3 eggs just to see what would happen. Yesterday I checked for extra eggs and notice one was cracked all the way around with one larger crack. I assumed this was pipping and candled them. All I could see in the egg was the air pocket, which is right were it should have been. This morning I checked and the big crack had broken off to reveal a white undercoat. I assumed this was just a bad egg. I opened it to find a baby, with feathers. It was not moving at all so I assume it was dead.

My question is this.
1. Was I wrong to mess with the eggs when I seen the crack?
2. Could this chick been alive and I was just too impatient?

I have two more that look the same as this one, but have no cracks. I did not write down when I gave her the eggs, so I don't have exact date.

 

[teach1rusl]

Patience is a virtue. But I don't see how simply candling the egg would have caused the chick to die, at least if you were gentle in handling it and didn't have it away from its heat source (mom) but for a short time. Sorry about the chick, but it sounds like "just one of those things" that happen when raising/caring for animals.

 

[Trodore]

Thank you,

Once again I just started raising chickens, so this is my first time for many things. I just wanted to ensure I did not directly cause a problem. When I candled the eggs, I removed them one at a time from mom, checked it, put it my pocket and got the other one. Once I checked them all, I put them back in together. I could not have them for more than 5 minutes.

I have a rooster and 12 hens, so it did not cost me anything. The only reason I let you sit was to ensure my rooster was doing his job. I am just really hoping they do hatch so I can see how they will take the coop, run, and flock. If all is well, I will just let nature do what it does instead of having incubators and brooders running.

If I do this again, I will ensure I know exactly when she started sitting. That way I can have a general idea of when each stage should happen.