Broody Ditched Eggs During Hatch

[eveliens]

Is this common? I went out there and found an egg with a hole in it while mom was off doing her business around the yard. She's brooded fake eggs and fostered chicks without issue before but never hatched her own.

Do I need to pull them and put them in an incubator to finish hatching? The other 4 haven't pipped and their hatchdate is actually tomorrow.

Does this fellow have a chance - I squeezed some warm water in there to moisten the membrane and put him back in the nest (it's 110F out there so he's plenty warm enough without mom for now). If she doesn't go back to sit I've fired up the incubator for him.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Are you sure she's not coming back to the nest?

 

[eveliens]

Are you sure she's not coming back to the nest?

I put her back on. She was very disgusted with me about the whole ordeal but settled in. I was under the impression chickens hatched like quail and just punched around the egg then pushed. Is it normal for them to make a huge hole? His membrane was drying out without mom sitting on him.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

I put her back on. She was very disgusted with me about the whole ordeal but settled in. I was under the impression chickens hatched like quail and just punched around the egg then pushed. Is it normal for them to make a huge hole? His membrane was drying out without mom sitting on him.

No. Quail zip around the whole thing first, just like chickens.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

I put her back on. She was very disgusted with me about the whole ordeal but settled in. I was under the impression chickens hatched like quail and just punched around the egg then pushed. Is it normal for them to make a huge hole? His membrane was drying out without mom sitting on him.

No. Quail zip around the whole thing first, just like chickens.

Your right. That's not normal how that chick is hatching, but things like that happen.

 

[eveliens]

No. Quail zip around the whole thing first, just like chickens.

That's what I thought. I have hatched tons of quail, no chickens. This egg has a huge hole. The chick seems OK just crusty and yucky from dried blood. I'll check again later to see how its going. The other eggs haven't even externally pipped yet. Wondering if he got stepped one or something

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

That's what I thought. I have hatched tons of quail, no chickens. This egg has a huge hole. The chick seems OK just crusty and yucky from dried blood. I'll check again later to see how its going. The other eggs haven't even externally pipped yet. Wondering if he got stepped one or something

This may have to be an assist hatch. There's a few great articles on here about this, look them up and try to figure out how you want to go about this... How is the chick doing?

 

[eveliens]

This may have to be an assist hatch. There's a few great articles on here about this, look them up and try to figure out how you want to go about this... How is the chick doing?

Seems fine, making noise and is "chewing." I'd rather not do an assist unless necessary but I might pull it to the incubator to regulate the humidity levels and keep an eye on it overnight. It probably isn't ready to hatch given the amount of blood vessels still visible - it isn't actively trying to hatch yet and the hatchdate is tomorrow. Pretty sure someone punched a hole in the shell for the little guy early. Just deciding if I want to take all the eggs then try to introduce the chicks back to mom after they hatch. I don't really have space for them in the brooder because I have 50 quail eggs in lockdown hatching tomorrow.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Seems fine, making noise and is "chewing." I'd rather not do an assist unless necessary but I might pull it to the incubator to regulate the humidity levels and keep an eye on it overnight. It probably isn't ready to hatch given the amount of blood vessels still visible - it isn't actively trying to hatch yet and the hatchdate is tomorrow. Pretty sure someone punched a hole in the shell for the little guy early. Just deciding if I want to take all the eggs then try to introduce the chicks back to mom after they hatch. I don't really have space for them in the brooder because I have 50 quail eggs in lockdown hatching tomorrow.

Yeesh. That's rough, if you have an incubator, definitely use it!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Has the broody came back to stay? If she has, let her do the work and take the chances. I'm only suggesting that because you say she has done well with chicks that's not hers before. I'd close up the coop so the broody can't leave until the chicks are ready to leave the nest.

As far as the chick is concerned, I'd put it in the middle of under the hen. That way the most of the humidity and heat gets to that chick. Then wait patiently and it should be hatched within a few hours. It's a 50/50 situation though. It might need help due to the shell might stick, but on the other hand, this is a no open the incubator lid (lift broody) case. The more you disturb the humidity and heat, the chances of that chick making decrease. Just leave it under the broody and make sure the hole is not on the bottom.