Can You Hatch a Cracked Chicken Egg?

Written by Maxwell Martinson
Published: December 5, 2022
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Hatching chickens is an exciting endeavor, but many first-timers shy away because they assume the process is too delicate.

There are several precise steps, but none of them are too difficult to perform on your own. So long as you have a clear guide and a few pieces of equipment, you can certainly hatch chickens at your house.

But what happens if you drop something onto an egg or one rolls out of your hand and cracks ever so slightly? Does the chick die, or can it be salvaged? What can you do in that situation?

Let’s find out.

Can You Hatch a Cracked Egg?

Three brown chicken eggs that appear to have rolled out of a wicker basket that still contains six brown eggs.

A cracked egg can still be hatched if the internal anatomy isn’t damaged.

©iStock.com/Watcharin panyawutso

You can still hatch a cracked egg if the internal anatomy of the egg isn’t damaged. You’ll also need to perform some immediate bandaging and dressing.

We’ll get into why and how you should repair the egg next. If you’re scrambling to read this information because you’ve cracked an egg, note that the longer you wait, the less likely it is to hatch.

So, scroll down immediately and start repairing the crack per our guide! If you’re looking this up right after cracking a precious egg, you’ve probably still got enough time to make the repairs and keep the incubation process on track.

For those of you in less of a rush, take a look at the next section exploring why the egg is still repairable if cracked.

The Egg Shell’s Function

The shell provides a structure for the germinal disc, vitelline membrane, yolk, chalaza, and albumen that eventually produce the embryo and the baby chick.

Under the right incubation conditions, the animal will go from germinal disc to chirping chick in 21 days. Naturally, the chick gets more resilient as it approaches the three-week mark of incubation, so later cracks will probably do less damage.

Throughout that process, the shell keeps your developing chick safe from bacteria. An eggshell is an extremely effective barrier to all of the harmful germs in your home or out in nature.

When the shell cracks, it exposes the embryo to deadly bacteria. The more time you leave the eggshell cracked and unmended, the more opportunities there are for bacteria to work their way inside.

A Note on “Cleaning” Eggs

Some people wipe off or clean eggs before they bring them into their homes for the incubation period. While this seems like a reasonable thing to do, it actually puts the chick at a disadvantage.

An eggshell is naturally covered with an outer coating called a “bloom” that prevents bacteria and dirt from entering its semi-porous barrier. When you clean off an unhatched egg, you also scrub the bloom away.

This can cause problems for any egg, but it’s particularly risky for eggs that end up cracking in any way. So, solidify your egg’s shell by leaving it unwiped and uncleaned.

How To Fix a Cracked Egg

one dozen white chicken eggs, two rows of six, in yellow carton. full frame

Bacteria entering through the egg crack would make it impossible for the egg to hatch.

©Nataliya Schmidt/Shutterstock.com

Your egg will not finish incubating so long as it is cracked. Bacteria will enter through the crack, and the support structure of the shell won’t be able to keep the embryo in the correct position.

Different aspects of the embryo could get damaged and leak out of the shell as well. It’s very important that you act now if you want the chick to hatch properly.

There are two quick fixes with materials you probably already have at home.

Option One

You’ll need:

  • A light-colored candle (birthday candles or candlesticks, not a scented candle in a glass)
  • A lighter or way to melt the candle

Find the lightest, hardest candle at your disposal. White birthday candles might be the best option as they’re unscented, and they’ll fix firmly when they harden.

Melt the candle and simply spread the wax over the cracks. If you’re careful, you’ll be able to cover all of the openings in the shell and prevent any bacteria from entering.

The chick should be able to break out through the wax on hatch day, so don’t overdo it with extra layers of wax. One layer melted over the cracks should be enough to prevent the bacteria from getting in while staying fragile enough for the chick to push through.

When the wax is fixed, get the egg right back into the incubator. With any luck, the egg should get back on its developmental track.

Option Two

You’ll need:

  • Light tissue paper (ideally the consistency of Cleanex)
  • Liquid glue or quick-dry nail polish (some kind of adhesive)

Lay a thin piece of tissue paper over the cracked area, then brush over it with some form of liquid glue, quick-dry nail polish, or any other light adhesive.

Of course, lean toward the adhesive that’s the most natural. Glues with extremely harsh chemicals could lead to complications for the chick. Avoid superglues as well—remember, the chick has to poke through the adhesive in a few days.

Once the adhesive is fixed and solidified, get the egg right back into the incubator. If you’ve covered the cracks quickly enough, the egg should continue on with its normal development.

There are no guarantees, but the options above have been effective for people in the past. If you do everything swiftly and carefully, there’s a chance your little crack won’t put a dent in the chick’s development.

Good luck!

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The photo featured at the top of this post is © Ivan Kurmyshov/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Hi! I'm Max and I'm a writer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I've been freelancing for more than five years and love the freedom and variety that this profession offers. Animals are also a big part of my life, and a lot of my time is dedicated to playing with my cat, Herbie.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.

Sources
  1. Murano Chicken Farm, Available here: https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2013/11/how-to-save-broken-hatching-egg.html
  2. Chickens Life, Available here: https://chickenslife.com/time-for-chicken-eggs-to-hatch/
  3. Backyard Chickens, Available here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-incubate-hatch-chicken-eggs-just-21-days-from-egg-to-chicken.47696/