I killed one of my chickens.....

[FaithAnn]

I candled my eggs today and was SURE that three of them were not developing. I cracked two of them to investigate and, sure enough, the egg was fertile, but did not develop. I cracked the third and to my horror there was an embryo in the egg with a beating heart.

The yolk was busted, but the embryo was definitely alive. I am not sure if I burst the yolk when I cracked the egg, but I really don't think I did. I was very careful with it.

I had asked on another thread, but now I am very curious. Does anyone think that an egg can develop when the yolk was busted in transit - i.e. scrambled. These were shipped eggs and I was sure that they were scrambled, I was obviously wrong.

Lesson to other newbies -- wait to cull -- I was sure this one was not developing, but I was wrong.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I am so sorry. I don't have the answer but you were doing your best. All of us are going to have hatching issues at some time. Best of luck with the rest of the hatch and thank you for the good advice.

 

[Mahonri]

Welcome to the club. You are not alone. Time will heal the pain.

 

[lovemychix]

I always just leave them just in case. I learned that lesson the hard way also.

 

[Frieza]

Doesn´t the yolk always burst when you open eggs that have been incubated? Even my infertile ones burst when they have just been in 4 days and no matter how carefull i try open them.

 

[FaithAnn]

That is probably the answer, Freiza, Thanks! I haven't opened many eggs, so I didn't know. I will definitely leave the rest until I see a clear blood ring. I think I was hoping to hear that the egg was scrambled and wouldn't have made it anyway just to make myself feel better.

 

[walkswithdog]

I never ever open or toss an egg now unless it stinks or weeps. It's too easy to be fatally wrong and I've candled a LOT of eggs.

If you have a question mark the egg and put it back.

Weeping and stink eggs have to be removed but let everything else roll. There's no harm in it and potential gain. I've had eggs I was SURE were no go's turn up as good at 14 or 18 days.

Sometimes a shell is thicker and you get a poor candling result even when you "think" you can see. Sometimes the embryo forms in the very center of the egg and is impossible to see in the middle against the yolk.

I let them go all the way now and never throw out eggs until after a hatch. It's just the only way to be sure.

And even at the end of a hatch I'm pretty darn cautious about eggs and open each like it's ALIVE. Better safe than very very sorry.

Lessons learned the hard way tend to stick but they suck.

 

[racuda]

I did the same thing. Candled on day 5, and discarded 3. One was alive. Next time I'll mark the suspect eggs but wait until day 10 to make the decision to throw out.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Yeah, day 5 is early to toss. I candle at day 6 because I'm impatient but I don't even mark anything with question marks, I'm purely looking at that point for myself.
At day 10, I will mark eggs with question marks and only remove eggs that show obvious dead chicks (dark chick floating in one spot for a long time) or blood rings.
At day 18 I remove any that still have not developed.

We open all eggs and usually make notes for science with our kids (we homeschool and it's a great lesson).
I have never accidentally opened a live egg this way.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

The yolk had to have been ruptured when you cracked the egg. Embryos do not form on "broken" yolks...kind of suicidal I suppose?