I'm an idiot! I cracked an egg open and there was a live chick inside!

[alphazimbo]

I feel so stupid! I am incubating some guinea fowl eggs and I am on day 29 - I thought they weren't going to hatch - there was no noise, no movement, nothing so I decided to crack one open - and there was a guinea keet inside! I'm horrified and I don't know what to do - there is nothing to do, right? I put it back in the incubator and I am hoping for the best and NOT touching any of the other eggs...does anyone have any suggestions? Please no lectures...I already feel bad enough.

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

I did that when I was a beginnner.. Dont feel so bad. I think it has happened to alot of people.. We learn from our mistakes. Now I never open an egg unless they are about 4 days over due..

 

[bumpershoot]

Oh dear! Well, I would put a moist washcloth on it and cross your fingers. Some days are just this way and you do your best. Good luck!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Been there. Done that. Don't feel too bad. It happens.

 

[coloradochick]

Don't be too hard on yourself. I think many of us have done the same thing. Broke my heart

when I did it and the guilt ate me up. Good luck on the rest of the hatch.

 

[raimnel]

How long do guineas incubate? 21 days like chicken???? just curious

 

[ilovechickens]

I did that too, it rips your heart, but you learn, I don't even open them after 4 or 5 days, makes me cry, so I just dispose of them when I know that there is not hope of hatching.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

raimnel guineas are 28 days

OP..I did that to a Coturnix quail a week ago, and that little sucker is a live wire today. If it was going to hatch it still will. Hope it does good for you!!!

 

[alphazimbo]

They incubate for 28 days but other people here on the forum have said that because guinea fowl mothers are such bad mothers when the eggs are incubated by humans they often hatch in 25 days....I should have just waited longer. Ugh. And my husband is giving me hell - he says he's going to confiscate all my animals

 

[chkinut]

i did that when i hatched eggs as a teen. there was a big egg that didn't hatch. i took it down to the edge of the woods to crack it open, thinking it was a rotten egg.....when i cracked it there was a chick inside...i was horrified and threw it in the woods. now that i think back on it though, i really don't think it was alive anyway....but still, i feel ur pain!