Opened egg still alive

[Magweno]

Nooo I feel like such a big stupid lump!!!

My french partridge started laying eggs weeks ago, she's got 14 now, but when I first went out collecting eggs I thought it was a huge quail egg (didn't even think about the partridges!) so when I realised it was a partridge egg and she wasn't sitting, I popped it in the incubator with a load of quail eggs. Now basing it on how many eggs she's laid and she lays every other day I reckon it's been in the incubator for at least 3 weeks. so after candling it and seeing 2/3rds was air I took it out to make space for some bantam eggs and cracked it open to see what happened as it WAS fertile and alive at one point

Stupid stupid stupid! I peeled away a tiny bit of shell (I hate opening eggs for this exact reason) and made a little hole in the membrane and got the shock of my life when the inner membrane started moving. the outer membrane was dry as a bone so i think my incy humidity is rubbish. The blood vessels are all intact so I've wrapped it in a damp cloth and put it back in the incy (despite it being a bit cramped what with the three bantam eggs - rcom mini).

This has happened before with some quail eggs 5 days overdue, most were dead but one was alive, it was wrapped in a damp cloth and survived and is very happily eating away now, but this partridge egg is so small and blatantly not ready I feel like I've killed it!! what can I do? Is there any way of making a diy eggshell to cover the hole I made?

Please don't tell me how stupid I am because I'm really horrified and definitely won't go opening eggs again. Should have learnt my lesson the first time

 

[NEWTODUCKS]

I'm unable to give you any advice but we are a very supportive group and my experiance would be that we wouldn't tell any body they were stupid as that would prevent people from being open and honest with their mistakes.
I'm sure someone will be along soon with help, in the mean time I would have put it in a damp cloth as you have done. I wonder, would a breathable plaster work???

 

[chrismahon]

I've made the same mistake Magweno. Opened eggs two days late on a hatch by cracking them into a bowl and a wriggling chick plopped out and bled to death in it ! I would think your towel will be sufficient. Should be OK as the shell is mainly intact and it hasn't bled. Might be difficult to stick a plaster on without breaking the shell.

 

[tygrysek75]

If you think it has chance to get ready to pip maybe cover the hole with bretheble surgical plaster or tape.

 

[Magweno]

Thanks everyone, it's still alive and seems to be doing alright. The damp paper towel is covering the hole, hopefully that will be enough?
Great to hear I'm not the only one Chris!! Gave me the fright of my life the first time it happened.

 

[foxy]

The survival of the chick will depend in the main on two things, the maturity and strength of the chick, how close to hatching, could you see whether it has pierced the inner membrane or not? Secondly keeping that membrane moist to stop it from shrink wrapping therefore reducing mobility and causing damage to the blood vessels. This doesn't necessarily mean keeping the membrane "wet" but maintaining a high humidity to support hatching and keep the membrane flexible.

On candling where was the beak? At the big end or narrow end?Sometimes chicks pip at the wrong end making manoeuvring around in position difficult.

It does sound like by the size of the air cell it was fairly ready to hatch. One thing to mention is that (in my humble opinion ) once you have started to assist a hatch you really have to continue, this means constant monitoring, candling to asertain chick position and progress, plus removing small pieces of shell and membrane, until enough is removed and the chick is able to kick itself free. When doing this only remove shell from the round end, where the air sac should be. This is the natural position for the chick to emerge from.

Observe for the slightest bleeding...and if this happens stop immediately. Do not remove the chick for too long in case of chilling, keep hands warm and clean.

 

[kegs]

There was something recently in Prac Poultry mag., where he said you could take a shell from another broken discarded egg, sterilise it thoroughly and place it over the existing cracked egg. I'll try to find it to see if he did anything else with it.

 

[kegs]

Ok got it. Practical Poultry Feb 2012 Pete and Rob Banks on the art of incubation says:

"If you've discovered that you've assisted too early, then you'll have to allow the chick to curl up its head and re-cap the egg. Infertile eggs are excellent for this purpose.

They are broken in two and the top half cleaned of its membranes. The top has a safety hole put in it and the egg shell should then be soaked in boiled water. This action causes the shell to become pliable, after which it can be trimmed to just below its widest point, so that it provides a snug fit. After soaking it again in hot water, allow to cool and then simply place it over the chick in the shell. If necessary, use surgical tape to hold it in place. You are now committed to a fully assisted hatch."

Good luck Magweno, and I hope the above is of some use.

 

[foxy]

Really useful Kegs! 17

 

[Magweno]

Thanks everyone, Foxy I opened it at the blunt end as usually just incase it was alive and thank goodness I did!! It has broken the inner membrane itself now so must be at pipping stage, it cheeped at me earlier today and the membrane is very moist but does still have blood vessels so I will leave it to sort itself out. Once it starts to try and hatch with enthusiasm I'll probably assist it.

Thanks so much Kegs, very helpful to know in future!

 

[kegs]

Keeping my fingers crossed that it survives. Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[Magweno]

Sadly this morning when I checked on it I found it completely still. The poor thing died somehow, and it was doing so well! I have a feeling the humidity might have been too high? I have no way of measuring it so it was hit or miss when I dampened the towel. I don't understand, last night it was peeping and wriggling and so close to hatching and this morning... nothing Such a shame. Mum thinks it was exhaustion.

Edit: I took it out of the shell and it looks like it hadn't absorbed the yolk properly?

There were no blood vessels on the inner membrane so I'm sure it was ready, would I have been set up for more heartbreak if it had managed to hatch?

I'm also now worried about the clutch in the aviary, the female has 14 so that means the first one will be over two weeks old, will it still be okay if she does decide to sit on them? I THINK, but I'm not sure, that the parents are related although not closely. (I got them from a game dealer at the Highland games show for free so I have no idea what their background is.)

 

[kegs]

So sorry Magweno.

 

[chrismahon]

Very sorry Magweno. As you say exhaustion is the probable cause. Would have hatched next day judging by the sac.

Unlikely the oldest eggs will hatch. In my experience anything past 9 days is iffy. Although I know a breeder who puts them in the incubator at up to two weeks old and still gets some hatch.

 

[Chuck]

I've just had some hatch in the incubator today with no problems oldest 17 days old and there were several of them ! It's normal for a hen to take that long to lay a clutch to sit on so they should be OK. Closely releated does not usually cause problems.