overdue egg

[JCoogle]

I had an egg that was on day 24 of lockdown. I decided to candle it to see if there was any movement. There wasn't so I decided to open it up to see what was wrong. When I opened it the chick was fully formed and the yoke was asorbed, but there was no skull cap and the brain was out of the chick. Is there a reason that this would have happened besides mother nature?

 

[rocketdog312]

birth defect most likely. Its probably just a fluke but incorrect temp/humidity/rotations per day can affect these kinds of things.

 

[JCoogle]

Well I have a few more that are due over the next few days. I guess that will be the test on my homemade incubator.

 

[mtnkids]

Was it a silkie by chance? I was just reading a post on here the other day about someone having the same thing happen with a silkie baby, and they were thinking it was possibly linked to the crest or something of that sort. You might want to search for that?

Editing to add link of that thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=279624

 

[JCoogle]

Yes it was a silkie. I have another pipping right now.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I think that there is a higher incidence of cranial birth defects in breeds with crests/vaulted like Silkies, polish, etc.

 

[JCoogle]

I hope that is the last time I see this. It was heartbreaking.