The Prancing Raptor
Chirping
I am looking for some guidance, this is my first time hatching anything & I'm thinking most of these eggs are not viable...
The story:
My little, free range Spitzhauben Pullet, Teacup, went missing when we had that bitterly cold weather around January 15, 2024. Fast forward 2 weeks & I found her eating with the flock on January 30. I followed her back to her nest & found she had been sitting on 5 eggs (all are her eggs) laid directly on sheet metal surrounded by a little bit of pink fiberglass insulation. The "nest" was thankfully out of the wind. That night I moved her & the eggs into her own broody hen house with enclosure (little orange chicken coop from Tractor Supply) & she's been locked onto that clutch ever since. This is her first time going broody.
I look in everyday when she leaves & I hear no peeping, see no pips. They are always warm. No smells at all.
Counting backwards, I think yesterday should have been day 21 but that's a guess.
Maybe it was a mistake to do so, but today, I waited until Teacup got off the nest & candled them as fast as possible right there under my coat... 4 eggs look solid/dark - cannot see an air chamber.
However, one is nearly all air chamber but did NOT see movement in the dark part. I found this video that best shows what that single egg looks like:
Thank you to Kiki for that very helpful video!
Take into account that this is my first time candling & I was trying to be fast as Teacup was coming back. I just spent 5 to 10 seconds looking at that egg. I actually thought it was empty/not viable because there was so much air space. Now I wish I had taken more time to look at it...sigh.
In addition to all of this, I am considering driving to Cackle Hatchery on Thursday & buying a few day old chicks to put under her. Honestly, I thought she had frozen to death during her absence - I know the temperature was -2F/-19C one morning. It would be nice to see her "rewarded" with some chicks for her dedication to that clutch during the very worst weather possible.
The Questions:
Should I give the eggs a few more days under Teacup?
Is it a mistake to put a few day old chicks under her this Thursday night if she still sitting on a possibly viable egg which would be day 24 (estimate) of that single egg?
Thanks for any help. I really appriciate this forum....I reference it so, so much, lol
The story:
My little, free range Spitzhauben Pullet, Teacup, went missing when we had that bitterly cold weather around January 15, 2024. Fast forward 2 weeks & I found her eating with the flock on January 30. I followed her back to her nest & found she had been sitting on 5 eggs (all are her eggs) laid directly on sheet metal surrounded by a little bit of pink fiberglass insulation. The "nest" was thankfully out of the wind. That night I moved her & the eggs into her own broody hen house with enclosure (little orange chicken coop from Tractor Supply) & she's been locked onto that clutch ever since. This is her first time going broody.
I look in everyday when she leaves & I hear no peeping, see no pips. They are always warm. No smells at all.
Counting backwards, I think yesterday should have been day 21 but that's a guess.
Maybe it was a mistake to do so, but today, I waited until Teacup got off the nest & candled them as fast as possible right there under my coat... 4 eggs look solid/dark - cannot see an air chamber.
However, one is nearly all air chamber but did NOT see movement in the dark part. I found this video that best shows what that single egg looks like:
I couldn't wait for it to get dark out.
Thank you to Kiki for that very helpful video!
Take into account that this is my first time candling & I was trying to be fast as Teacup was coming back. I just spent 5 to 10 seconds looking at that egg. I actually thought it was empty/not viable because there was so much air space. Now I wish I had taken more time to look at it...sigh.
In addition to all of this, I am considering driving to Cackle Hatchery on Thursday & buying a few day old chicks to put under her. Honestly, I thought she had frozen to death during her absence - I know the temperature was -2F/-19C one morning. It would be nice to see her "rewarded" with some chicks for her dedication to that clutch during the very worst weather possible.
The Questions:
Should I give the eggs a few more days under Teacup?
Is it a mistake to put a few day old chicks under her this Thursday night if she still sitting on a possibly viable egg which would be day 24 (estimate) of that single egg?
Thanks for any help. I really appriciate this forum....I reference it so, so much, lol