So I have fertilized eggs that are at 26 days today. They are under a sweet cochin x silkie. We had a couple pretty cold nights so I brought her inside, with her clutch, and she has warmth, peace, and quiet now. I brought her in about 1 week after she started sitting.
I obviously have concerns about the eggs actually even hatching now, so while I was out at TS I saw they had chicks for .25! I snagged 4 and had them upstairs, in our home, all evening prepping to slip them under the hen.
While I was waiting for the proper evening hour I looked into final egg tests. Tapping = no results. Float test= all 6 were viable. One even rocked itself in the water, after it and the water had settled!
My questions are, could the couple of cold nights and her being a smaller breed set back hatching dates?
How much longer should I give them... obviously one is definitely ready to go?
Finally, will there be a problem with the new chicks, that I slipped under last night, and any of her late bloomers? I do not have an incubator, but I did ask a friend if I could borrow one.....unsure of her response yet.
I don't want to let these little guys fail, if they were just stunted by the cold, especially the one that rocked itself in the water. I'm worried that the new chicks may 1. Damage her eggs 2. Hen may be to happy with new chicks and will abandon her clutch, possibly days before hatching and 3. If any hatch they could be attacked or bullied by the TS chicks.
I'm excited because of the float test results and seeing the one egg actively moving, I just don't know how many days past that point they generally hatch. I have an 8 year old daughter that is so very excited, and honestly I am too.....but also very worried.
I obviously have concerns about the eggs actually even hatching now, so while I was out at TS I saw they had chicks for .25! I snagged 4 and had them upstairs, in our home, all evening prepping to slip them under the hen.
While I was waiting for the proper evening hour I looked into final egg tests. Tapping = no results. Float test= all 6 were viable. One even rocked itself in the water, after it and the water had settled!
My questions are, could the couple of cold nights and her being a smaller breed set back hatching dates?
How much longer should I give them... obviously one is definitely ready to go?
Finally, will there be a problem with the new chicks, that I slipped under last night, and any of her late bloomers? I do not have an incubator, but I did ask a friend if I could borrow one.....unsure of her response yet.
I don't want to let these little guys fail, if they were just stunted by the cold, especially the one that rocked itself in the water. I'm worried that the new chicks may 1. Damage her eggs 2. Hen may be to happy with new chicks and will abandon her clutch, possibly days before hatching and 3. If any hatch they could be attacked or bullied by the TS chicks.
I'm excited because of the float test results and seeing the one egg actively moving, I just don't know how many days past that point they generally hatch. I have an 8 year old daughter that is so very excited, and honestly I am too.....but also very worried.