small crack in chick egg at day 17

[spruce creek]

We noticed a small crack in one of our chick eggs this morning, they are on day 17 in the incubator and a tiny amount of clear liquid was seeping out of the crack. I thought it was a dead one but when I went to candle it the liquid was gone, I think it went onto the thermometer when the egg turner moved, and I could not find the crack. Even when I candled it I could not see any crack but there is a chick in there and its moving. Not sure what to do now! Do I take it out incase it explodes and infects my other eggs? or leave it in there? I am getting ready to remove egg turner at go into lock down tomorrow.

 

[MagicChicken]

It may be that your incubator thermostat is off and the incubator is warmer than expected. That would trigger an early hatch. Sounds like that chick is starting to pip. I would remove the egg turner and lock down now.

 

[BantyChooks]

Agree... Don't remove it, and lockdown now.

 

[spruce creek]

So I candled it again to see if I could see the crack, I was going to put some beeswax on it if I could find it, couldn't find it, but I did notice the chick is moving less and and all the black mass is at the bottom(small end) of the egg farthest from the air sac? is this a sign of it dying or just that it has moved?
I was thinking of going into lock down now too, thanks for the help, at the very least Iwas thinking I should increase the humidity? This is my first hatch.

 

[BantyChooks]

 So I candled it again to see if I could see the crack, I was going to put some beeswax on it if I could find it, couldn't find it, but I did notice the chick is moving less and and all the black mass is at the bottom(small end) of the egg farthest from the air sac? is this a sign of it dying or just that it has moved?
 I was thinking of going into lock down now too, thanks for the help, at the very least Iwas thinking I should increase the humidity? This is my first hatch. 

No beeswax! If it is a pip, you don't want to cover it.

Need pics, but it might be drawing down and getting ready to hatch. Where on the egg did you see the crack?

 

[spruce creek]

The crack was about a 1/2 inch long I think, maybe less and vertical from about mid egg going up towards the top.

 

[BantyChooks]

Hmm.. odd

Too late in incubation to do anything 'cept wait and hope. It's very unlikely to explode if it ends up going kaput, so it's safest to leave it....

 

[spruce creek]

I was going to ask about that, how likely are bad eggs to explode? We culled a few that were looking like quitters but I am reluctant to give up on one I saw move this morning. I also read bantams sometimes hatch early? The hen the eggs are from is supposed to be a cross with bantam and Rhode Island red, at a guess from previous owner. She's not very big but is very tame and a good egg layer. My power just went out to add to it! Never hooked the generator up so fast before!!

 

[BantyChooks]

You usually have plenty of warning. If there was movent today, it's not going to go bad between now and hatch, I think.
Yes, I have had bantams hatch day 18 before.

 

[spruce creek]

Thanks for all your help, we're now on lockdown!! Fingers crossed!