I opened up an egg that hadn't hatched

[BlossomSilkies]

I had one egg hatch a week ago, chick is doing great. The 2nd egg had still not hatched. I'd been candling it and it seemed fine, but then when I checked yesterday it was sort of sloshing around.

I opened it up in the kitchen a few minutes ago. The chick looked fully formed and the yolk was gone. There was a sort of brown liquid in there. I didn't smell anything. I think it's dead, but just in case I put it under mama.

What do you all think?

By the way, these are under broody hens, not a 'bator.

 

[Flock Runner]

i have absolutly no idea. i've never herd of an egg doing that, but i could take a couple of geusses. the egg might have had an air pocket inside. ive had eggs that did that before but they were unfertilized. also, did you remember to turn the eggs regularly? it might have stuck to the side and been unable to hatch. if it can't hatch then it would overheat inside the egg and either drown or died of heat stroke. i hope the chick is still alive makes a full recovery.

 

[MamaMarcy]

Well, if it's got brown liquid it sounds like it's rotting.

How did you open it? If you could see the whole chick and that the yolk was gone surely you could see if it was breathing or not?

What did you put back under the broody hen, the chicken or the chicken in a cracked egg?

 

[oesdog]

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Didn;t the OP say these are under a broody which means they don;t need turned the broody should have done that herself. I would think this chick is dead and has been dead a while from what you have said. If the other hatched a week ago the brown liquid is probably decomp. Sorry but I think this baby has died. It could be that it has gotten cold or has a defect and not had the strength to hatch out. This happens regularly. The chances of having 100% hatch are very slim either with a broody or in an incubator. Enjoy the live chick. nature has a way of weeding out weak chicks so don;t feel bad I lost a chick to last year under a broody and two this year though this years broody was a bad moma. Best thing to do is love the one you have and try again next time.

Oesdog

 

[BlossomSilkies]

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I just opened it up and took it out. No blood, no yolk. It wasn't and still isn't moving at all, I see no movement. The chick is under the broody for now until I'm sure it's dead, because... When the 1st chick hatched, I didn't see any movement there either, but a few hours later, it was fluffed up and fine, I thought it was dead, and so glad I didn't toss it!

 

[GrannysRoost]

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I am thinking the same, opened and putting back aren't good.....

 

[BlossomSilkies]

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Oh, I know. This is the very 1st time I've let one of my hens hatch eggs, so I guess I am using this as a learning experience.

 

[BlossomSilkies]

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Not good? As in harmful somehow?

 

[MamaMarcy]

If there's no movement or breathing it's dead.

Even tired chicks breathe.

sorry

 

[oesdog]

Quote:
I just opened it up and took it out. No blood, no yolk. It wasn't and still isn't moving at all, I see no movement. The chick is under the broody for now until I'm sure it's dead, because... When the 1st chick hatched, I didn't see any movement there either, but a few hours later, it was fluffed up and fine, I thought it was dead, and so glad I didn't toss it!

I know its hard I had a chick who hatched in the incubator at 28 days. It was so exhausted it just lay in straw and didn;t move for 12 hrs. But I knew it was alive because you could clearly see its body moving up and down when it breathed. I am pretty sure you would have seen a sign of life if there was any. The big thing is that you put a probably dead chick under the mom with a live healthy baby chick, and if this chick was decomposing it is full of germs that can pass to the healthy chick. Also your momma hen might decide to eat the dead chick becuase she feels the need to nest clean and she could get something nasty from decomposing chick. - You said the other hatched a week ago. So chances are this baby chick has been dead for nearly a week. It could have Salminella or Botchalism. So please if it is dead take it away it wont be doing your hen or live chick any good.

I know what it is to have a chick hatch a week after its due. I have had one hatch 27 days and another on day 28. Both survived but honestly You would have known for sure if there was viable life. It is incredibly rare for any chick to hatch that late and survive!

Oesdog

Do the right thing it is hard to accept death in a tiny thing with such promise but there is a reason for it we just don;t know right now.