One day there's a chick, next day there's blood.

chicken4prez

Free Ranging
6 Years
Jun 14, 2015
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Ontario, Canada
I had an egg that would be ready to hatch any day now but just two days ago I candled the egg and all I can see is blood! No veins, no chick, no anything.

What could've happened? I saw it moving around about 5 days ago and it was fine! Did it explode inside the egg? How can I stop this from happening to my other chicks?
 
Yes..theres still a chance. I'd give the egg a few more days. Sometimes when they start pipping they can hit a vessel. I think it depends a lot on weather it was a large or smaller one...so...id wait a bit.
 
The chick has pipped through a vein in the membrane. Not exactly a good thing. This is what I do, (you should do only what's comfortable for you,) I would pull it out, expand the pip hole, wet the membrane, especially where the blood is. Chicks can bleed out if they hit a prominent vein in the membrane, which is more common with malepositioned pippers because they are tapping through membrane taht hasn't absorbed the veins instead of int the air cell which is free of veining. If it is still alive you may need to start an assisted hatch, at least expand the pip hole and replace it to the bator wrapped in a damp paper towel.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching This is a good article on assisted hatching.
here's a previous post I found for u on that issue..hope this helps
 
When the chick has reached full term and ready to hatch..u will not see a lot of vessels. The chick fills the egg...looks darker inside
 
here's a previous post I found for u on that issue..hope this helps

Let me clarify, the quoted post, was with an egg that had externally pipped by itself and was bleeding at the site of the pip. I am not a big advocate of going into eggs that have not at least internally pipped, and then only after 24 hours of no progress and only a small safety hole.
Also, in the article section @Pyxis has written a new article on assisted hatching that I feel is much easier to follow, especially for newbies. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...atching-for-all-poultry.72886/#comment-500790

There's not much you can do at this point but wait.

Edited to add, I also now recommend that instead of wrapping an egg in a damp towel when you have exposed membrane to use a light coat of neosporin (non pain relief), Vaseline or coconut oil applied on the exposed membrane. It keeps it moistened for a lot longer.
 
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Let me clarify, the quoted post, was with an egg that had externally pipped by itself and was bleeding at the site of the pip. I am not a big advocate of going into eggs that have not at least internally pipped, and then only after 24 hours of no progress and only a small safety hole.
Also, in the article section @Pyxis has written a new article on assisted hatching that I feel is much easier to follow, especially for newbies. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...atching-for-all-poultry.72886/#comment-500790

There's not much you can do at this point but wait.

I agree, and especially not four days before it's due. There really isn't much to do in this case except wait. I hate to say it, but the egg might be a later quitter, because a chick wouldn't be trying to internally pip four days before it's due to hatch. That plus the fact that you can't see veining any longer leads me to believe what you are seeing is a late quitter whose veins have disintegrated and the blood has pooled :(
 
Thanks @AmyLynn2374 and @Pyxis.

I agree, and especially not four days before it's due. There really isn't much to do in this case except wait. I hate to say it, but the egg might be a later quitter, because a chick wouldn't be trying to internally pip four days before it's due to hatch. That plus the fact that you can't see veining any longer leads me to believe what you are seeing is a late quitter whose veins have disintegrated and the blood has pooled :(
Oh dear. Well there's still three more eggs that have a chance.
 
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