Horribly cracked egg with viable embryos - what to do?

[FranzBear]

Discovered it tonight while candling the eggs, it's definitely got something inside while a lot of the other eggs didn't, but it just had to be insanely cracked. After losing a lot of fertile eggs recently due to an exploding egg under a broody hen, I want to save it AT THE SAME TIME knowing it's got the power of wiping out all the other fertile eggs if it becomes an exploding egg itself.

It's super cracked, the shell is really thin. is it possible to just put it in the incubator by itself? I have a free incubator. And is it worth taping it up or putting nail polish on it, like I've seen in other posts?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Wirh the dent, I'd say it's likely to not finish progressing personally.

 

[gimmie birdies]

If an egg gets a crack, AFTER day 10, depending on the crack, if it can be repaired, and then possibly hatch, but you are putting the other eggs at risk. If crack happened when you set the egg day 1, then the egg will die at about day ten.

 

[Ridgerunner]

is it possible to just put it in the incubator by itself? I have a free incubator. And is it worth taping it up or putting nail polish on it, like I've seen in other posts?

Just because it is not likely doesn't mean you don't try. Since you have a separate incubator you will not be putting the other eggs at risk. I don't know why you would not try under those circumstances.

To me one risk is that bacteria could get inside and grow. That is what would put the other eggs at risk if they were in the same incubator. They will not be in the same incubator. Try to be as sterile as you can while handling the egg. The other risk is that the egg will lose a lot of moisture during incubation.

To try to mitigate those risks I'd cover that area with glue or fingernail polish. That should form a bacteria barrier and stop moisture loss through that area. Another option might be to glue a piece of plastic over that area to serve the same purpose. I cannot give you any guarantees but hopefully you have a fighting chance.

Good luck!

 

[FranzBear]

Thanks everyone, I have decided not to risk it. I also noticed that the dark spot/embryo appears adheres to the cracked area, which I took to not be a good sign. I have discarded the egg.