Should I be worried?

[andieschicks]

Hi! So this is my first hatch, and I will admit I have been a small bit obsessive with candling.(once a day since they started showing signs of development) I have 3 eggs that are developing! I decided to not candle for a bit (since I started having the embryo's react to the light and I was afraid I might permanently hurt their eyes... not sure if possible but the embryo's were obviously reacting to the light and didn't like it) so I didn't candle from Thursday until yesterday.

After candling, I still have one that is fully text-book where almost the whole egg is taken up by the peep, but the two others the peeps are super small, only taking up 50% or less of the egg. I can see the umbilical chord and the shape of the peep and everything, but they don't look the way pictures or my research has said they should. Should I be worried? They should be hatching around the 25th, so they should be taking up the majority of the egg right now right?

Of the two eggs I am asking about one is really large, one is average size.

 

[andieschicks]

I'm sort of worried there might be a genetic defect, so a reply would be lovely. Over the multiple attempts to get fertile eggs (the roosters are mounting our hens, I've witnessed it multiple times. We have 5 roosters and around 150 hens, a mix of 5 or 6 different breeds.) I have pulled 20+ eggs and have only had 3 fertile, which are these three. I am hoping & praying that they are just small chicks and they will be just fine. Any ideas?

 

[chickenlver2013]

For one thing. They're not reacting to the light and no it won't hurt their eyes. Embryos are ALWAYS moving all the way up until hatching. If the others are only taking up 50% of the egg and the hatch date is the 25th, the embryos have most likely stopped growing. Meaning they've died. I've had a hen sit on eggs and when the babies hatched there were two eggs left in the nest. I candled those two eggs and they too took up 50% of the egg they had died. It sounds like only one chick is going to hatch.

 

[andieschicks]

Thank you, I'm still going to hope for the best but it's good to hear it from someone who has experience. Do you know what might have caused this? I'm pretty sure I have done everything right but I want to make sure so that my other already-in-the works clutch (due to hatch feb 6) can have the best chance possible.

 

[chickenlver2013]

Thank you, I'm still going to hope for the best but it's good to hear it from someone who has experience. Do you know what might have caused this? I'm pretty sure I have done everything right but I want to make sure so that my other already-in-the works clutch (due to hatch feb 6) can have the best chance possible.

Most likely natural causes. It happens often. Good luck on your in the works hatch! I have eggs that's going to hatch the sixth too

 

[andieschicks]

Grrrr... natural causes is frrrrrrrustrating.

XD Thank you! Good luck with yours too! (yay, same hatch day buddy!)

 

[chickenlver2013]

Hey, I'll post pictures! They're going to be Easter Egger roo crossed with Red Sex Link, Black Sex link, buff orp cross, old English game and maybe a partridge rock (I think she's the one who layed it or her sister. It's a mystery egg. XD) I've always candled my eggs every day and nothing's happened. What are you hatching?

 

[andieschicks]

Mystery eggs ^_^

It can be a combo of any of these: buff orpington, rhode island red, red star, americana, black australorp, and I THINK Dorking (it's a really pretty green/black/blonde rooster, but I'm not positive of the breed). I know I have 2 americana mixes because of 2 green(ish) eggs, one of the eggs looks like it might be a red and americana mixed.

Awesome! I look forward to seeing the pics, I'll make sure to upload pics too.

 

[LTygress]

The best way to tell if the embryo is dead or not, is blood vessels. Blood vessels begin to disintegrate immediately when the embryo dies, and disappear completely within a few hours. If they are still present, the chick is probably still alive. If not, it's a sure sign the chick has died.

 

[andieschicks]

Huh, ok, then one of them miiiiight make it then! I do remember seeing vessels in one of them, but not the other one. It's now 3 days to hatching so I can't check . I'm more hopeful now tho! Yay!