To crack or not to crack?

[thechickenchick]

I had bad luck with this hatch. I mean really bad luck

Out of 22 I started out with I got 2 beautiful babies. My last hatch was 100%.

I am curious if I should crack a couple to see how much they developed if any. I swore I saw something during candling, although there were a couple that were to dark to see in to.

How many of you do crack them open? Do you suggest it? Can you learn anything from it?

Last but not least, is it worth it? I mean I am not sure if I really want to see a poor dead baby.

However if it can teach me something, maybe?

 

[CovenantCreek]

My first hatch this year I cracked open some of the ones that didn't hatch. I couldn't learn a darn thing from them -- I don't know enough to see anything but a dead chick and really runny yolk. No more, it wasn't worth it.

 

[lilbreeches]

don't know what you could learn other than find out if they were actually growing something (fertile or not), did they go full term and just not hatch (which could be a humidity or temp problem), at what stage did it stop growing, if it did........well maybe you could learn something.

 

[thechickenchick]

I think you are right, its probably not worth it. Thanks for your help lilbreeches and Covenant Creek.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i used to be really creeped out at the thought of opening the eggs. But this last batch of eggs i forced myself. i had five hatch out, one of which was an assist. Then there was a pip that didn't zip and by the time i tried to help it was dead. i had eight more eggs that i knew had developed, so opened each and every one - primarily to make sure there were no live chicks stuck, but also for my own information. All were fully formed but dead. Last three days they went into my still air incubator as my forced air ones were full. The temps had fluctuated from 98-101.5 during that time. i will never again have so many staggered hatches that i can't keep the eggs in one of my forced air bators with a thermostat for the entire time. It just isn't worth it.

But then, there have been times i just could not force myself to look. You just really have to be in the right frame of mind.