Large air cell on internally pipped chick under broody

[Weetamoo93]

I was checking on chicks under my 5th broody hen so far this year (my girls are NUTS) to see what had/hadn't hatched since they were due. 4 of 5 eggs had hatched and the chicks were already old enough to wander a little ways from Momma Minerva. I checked at night, candling the final egg. It was the one of suspected would have issues or not make it due to a small crack in the shell. It has a very large air cell. Immediately I thought "dead" and was planning how to dispose of it when I noticed a flicker of moment. I held it to my ear and could hear it pipping inside and tapping at the shell. When I was considering a safety hole, not finding where the tapping was located, I noticed a small new crack that light could just pass through, indicating the chick was working toward an external pip.

Has anyone seen an air cell like this under a brooding hen?

 

[Weetamoo93]

Got two more photos before my weather got more "fowl" (not sorry). The chick is very vocal and active inside the egg. My only concern is that the siblings are already hatched and about; all eggs were placed under hen at the same time and I check daily for any extras other hens try to slip in. Nobody has snuck one past Minerva, though.

One rather poor photo of the small crack it's had since about mid incubation and a second candling photo with markups: yellow arrow is wear chick appears to be working on external pip and red circle is approximate location of crack.

I could've managed a better shell photo if my daggum phone would actually work with me and focus and I want hurrying due to weather.

 

[Weetamoo93]

Update: chick was malpositioned and didn't make it, poor baby. It has a significant blood clot on its beak. Could it have popped a vein while popping pipping in the wrong location?

Fat end of egg is by my thumb. This was admittedly a more ovular egg with less defined point end.

 

[Debbie292d]

Were these shipped eggs? I ask because in that one photo, it looked a bit like a saddled egg, often seen from incubating shipped eggs.

If not, there may have just been something awry with how this chick grew in the egg. If these were your own and you saw this more often, I'd say it was a nutritional issue with your hens/rooster, but just one is just a fluke.

Hopefully, you have several other fuzzy little chicks soon!

 

[Weetamoo93]

@Debbie292d , they were not shipped. The eggs were from my own chickens, always stored air cell up on the countertop. This is the first like this I've seen this year out 23 eggs hatching under broodies.

The other four babies that hatched under Minerva in photo. She's doing great for her first time. She was broody raised so it seems to be passing along.

 

[Debbie292d]

@Debbie292d , they were not shipped. The eggs were from my own chickens, always stored air cell up on the countertop. This is the first like this I've seen this year out 23 eggs hatching under broodies.

The other four babies that hatched under Minerva in photo. She's doing great for her first time. She was broody raised so it seems to be passing along.

Congratulations! They are adorable!

Yep, that was just what I call a fluke then, and I wouldn't worry about it. I hatch a lot and every so often one does similar. It's sad but I just figure there was a reason that one didn't make it. Maybe for the best.

Congrats again on your babies!

 

[Weetamoo93]

Congratulations! They are adorable!

Thank you! They're the youngest 4 of 18 babies running around, and I just set a dozen between two more broodies.