My hens laid full grown chicks - found when we cracked open eggs

[eggbert420]

Then there's the possibility of....internal incubation??  This actually happens in brood parasitic birds such as cuckoos.  Their chicks get a head start before the egg is laid......suppose there is an anomaly in one of the chickens' egg production system> 

The chicken would have to be eggbound for 14-15 days. Not likely

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[cc67]

G’Day from down under cc67    Welcome!

So, if I read this right ..

You have had your hens approximately 14 days.
There could have been a rooster at their previous location, so they could still have been laying fertile eggs when you got them.

BUT, you have collected the eggs every day and put them in the fridge with no hens sitting on eggs, yet they have fully developed chicks in them?

WOW .. that is bizarre!

If you find another one, can you take a picture?

I hope you enjoy being a BYC member.  There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun.  

sure will take a picture hope it doesn't happen again

 

[cc67]

Could it be possible that someone is playing a joke on you?

no joke in any direction just was so weird period but it explains it since we only had them a few days and they were laying 9 eggs a day from the first day we had them

 

[SueT]

And thank you for sharing this story w us.....you may have a hen that will go down in history, or at least BYC history.....

 

[cc67]

No I'm sure it's ordinary. Since it takes 21 days for an egg to develop. So that would make total sense that there might have been a chick developing when I acquired the chickens on April 4th

 

[eggbert420]

There is nothing ordinary about a egg layed with a fully developed chick in it. Trust me, I asked my magic 8 ball. It said

 

[BYCforlife]

, cc67!

The chicks don't form in the chicken, they form once the chicken has laid them. Unless somehow that actually happened, you have magical chickens!

 

[cc67]

There is nothing ordinary about a egg layed with a fully developed chick in it. Trust me, I asked my magic 8 ball. It said

 

[cc67]

okay well I'm a novice I'm only telling you what I saw I am getting tired of being pecked at. The 21 day cycle sounds feasible to me from what I was told. Thanks for all your input