Chicken egg alive on day 31

[tinychicky]

I'll do my best to give you the short version:

I set nine liege fighter eggs from GFF under a broody hen 31 days ago on March 1st, and 3 in an incubator. By day 20 I was down to 9 eggs, all now under the hen. On day 21, 8 healthy chicks hatched. I moved the remaining egg to the incubator on day 22 and candled it, revealing an underdeveloped embryo that was moving and definitely alive. It looked more like a day 12-14 embryo though.

I have been sitting on my hands for 10 days now, waiting for this egg. Temperature 99.5 F in a brinsea mini eco, humidity 65-70%. I candle daily and it's been growing, the air cell drew down a few days ago, and I can see the embryo moving around. I asked my partner to verify the movement to make sure I wasn't just seeing things in a chick-induced delirium. I wasn't, apparently.

GFF doesn't carry any other poultry species to my knowledge but I've been wondering if a muscovy egg somehow landed in my shipment. I have no other explanations. I never saw the broody kick out an egg, and the incubator did fine by it's other occupants. The chick has been sticking limbs into the air cell membrane, but I'm not sure it qualifies as internally pipped.

Thoughts? Should I do anything? Keep sitting on my hands? GFF has not commented yet, though I sent them an email.

Also, I realize it's April Fools Day, but this is only a prank played by nature, not by me.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I’m not sure but I hope the little one makes it!

 

[tinychicky]

Thank you, me too!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Thank you, me too!

If the little one does please post lots of pictures! Hopefully someone can answer your question!

 

[tinychicky]

Sure thing! Here is one of its siblings this afternoon, learning to rip out my garlic patch

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Oops, helps if I put in the attachment.

My one pullet had four eggs but only one hatched. I can’t even imagine her having two or three chicks! That mama sure must have her wings full! The pullet’s baby must be glad she doesn’t have siblings because at 11 weeks she’s almost as big as her mom and still sleeps under her!

 

[LaurenRitz]

If it still appears to be developing, I'd say keep watching it. 12 days would mean it's just barely over. I suppose there might be issues that would prevent an egg from developing for some time after being placed under a broody.

 

[tinychicky]

And that's that. When I candled this morning, the embryo had died. I opened it up and discovered a full-term, normal looking chick with a partially absorbed yolk. It had not managed to get its head into the right position to pip. Maybe if I'd stepped in yesterday, I could have helped, but quite possibly not. Either way, I'm glad the suspense is over and I can now focus on the remaining chicks.

Still not sure why the prolonged time in the egg.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The only thing that makes sense is that you had a different species. That neck does not look like a chicken.

 

[tinychicky]

The head and neck are a little strange in shape, maybe contributing to its inability to hatch. It does seem to be a chicken chick though. It has a small pea comb and resembles its siblings.