Cracked egg

[Afberno]

My broody hen or another hen knocked out an egg she is sitting on and it is due to hatch in the next 3 or 4 days and it is now cracked. Will it survive? Should I bring it in and put under a heat lamp as I do not have an incubator please any help would be great. Thank you

 

[Debbie292d]

How bad is it cracked? If it's not too bad, people have covered the crack with either melted wax (even color crayons) or fingernail polish. The shell protects the embryo from bacteria, and if it's cracked, now the bacteria can get in. If it's unfixable, I'd really worry that bacteria will kill the embryo and could harm the other chicks as well.

If it's so bad it's leaking, unfortunately, it's not going to make it and I'd remove it.

 

[Afberno]

It’s not leaking and the membrane does not look to be harmed at all. I am worried about the bacteria also. This is her only egg she has left. I thought about taking a chick out of the brooder so she thinks she hatched it lol

 

[MaplesTender]

How did things turn out with this?