Sad Post: Dying Unhatched chicks. Any ideas?

perlahatch

Hatching
Mar 18, 2019
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I have had a backyard flock for a few years but this was the first year that we decided to incubate our own eggs. They were supposed to hatch on Friday but they hadn't. I got it in my mind that we had kept the incubator too hot and heated the eggs to death. I wanted to crack the eggs open because I wanted to show my young children how eggs really CAN develop into chickens, and I thought it would be valuable to show them what an embryo looks like. Two of them looked like they had made it midway through their development before they died, and another looked like it had almost made it, but I am pretty sure they had died. I opened another one (just a little hole in the shell) and blood came out, and it chirped! I rushed to put it back in the incubator, and 6 hours later it is still alive. At the same time, my niece cracked another one a tiny bit, and that one too chirped. That one is barely open and I am afraid to touch it or really look at it up close.

Do they have a chance of living?

I feel so sad and foolish. I didn't think I'd feel this way but I feel so sad that at least one chick is probably going to die because of something stupid I did.

Any advice for me? Has this happened to any of you? I am specifically wondering if the chick that bled a little will maybe infect the other egg in the incubator. I work all day tomorrow so I won't be able to do much by way of monitoring them.

I had read some stories where chicks hatched later, but they all seemed to say that excessive heat will definitely kill them. If you are reading this, please please PLEASE give much more time if necessary.
 
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I suggest leaving them inside the incubator. At this point leave them alone and see what happens! Sometimes candeling helps before cracking any egg, you would of seen some movement. If it’s over 21 days, u can risk it and slowly help the chick out or just leave them. At this point it’s your discussion.
 
Always candle first. Even if you think the egg is dead.

So many people have done this. It is a common mistake. All you can do now is wait.
 
I just hatched 40 quail out of 60 and there were several chicks that pipped and then died and several that never even pipped but were fully formed and were dead inside. Week chicks im guessing. All my other are strong and healthy
 
What day were the eggs on when you started opening?
What incubator were you using?
Had you calibrated the temp & humidity?
What temp were you incubating at? Humidity?

They were on day 24. We were using the little giant without an egg turner and they recommended 103 if we didn't have it, so that is what we set it at. For humidity, I just did the best I could and put bowls of water inside, a sponge, and filled the wells starting at day 18.
 
Update: the one that was cracked the most is hatching! The membrane seems really dried out so I am thinking about putting some oil on it so it's a bit more like a "normal" membrane. Would anyone advise for/against this? I know usually that I shouldn't assist but I got the baby into this mess......

I'm gonna wait a little while before I do anything.
 
Update: the one that was cracked the most is hatching! The membrane seems really dried out so I am thinking about putting some oil on it so it's a bit more like a "normal" membrane. Would anyone advise for/against this? I know usually that I shouldn't assist but I got the baby into this mess......

I'm gonna wait a little while before I do anything.
Posting pics can really help folks advise...but it's up to yo in the end.
Here's some tips to read while you wait:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/
 
Posting pics can really help folks advise...but it's up to yo in the end.
Here's some tips to read while you wait:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

It's hard to see exactly what the pics are, but the dark red spot is dried blood from where I cracked it yesterday. About half of the cracked bits are from me, and half from the chick in the last hour or so. I am not sure what part should be facing up (I got so flustered yesterday when I put it back in). It's moving a lot and flexing against the shell, and peeping a lot, but I can't tell WHAT parts I can see. At the top of the egg there is a bit with no feathers on it, but again, I can't tell what it is.

I did just moisten the membrane with a wet cotton ball.
 

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"oil" the membrane with coconut oil or vaseline, water will be cold then dry out again. I'm no expert but 103 is high, normally 99* no higher than 102, humidity from set to lock down 35 - 45%, lockdown raise to 70% ... From what I've read. Good luck
 

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