Anxious and Worried!!

[Madeline90]

My broody hen started to sit on 4 eggs and we decided to let her hatch them. So we went on vacation for a week and came home to 11 eggs under her! She would get up to eat and drink and someone would lay in her spot. Anyways, 3 hatched under her and are doing great. They hatched a few days early. Well on day 21 (for the initial eggs) mama decided she was done sitting on the other 8 eggs. I got worried because it could have been a max of 8 or more hours since she sat on them and they were slightly cold! So I rushed and bought an incubator. There are two in there that I KNOW are on day 22 because I placed them under her in the beginning. The other 6 I am not positive. I candled them and the ALL have a chick in them.

So here we are. Day 22 for two of them and nothing. I’m getting inpatient and worried. Were they cold for too long? Did the movement from the coop into the incubator hurt them? I just want to see SOMETHING!

 

[bbond]

Do you see any movement when candling?

 

[Latestarter]

Give it a few more days to a week. Since you weren't there to determine when the addins were added, you can figure at least a week of additional time to be sure.

 

[Madeline90]

Do you see any movement when candling?

I didn’t think to look for that when I did the candling because I was so focused on getting them warm. Can I disturb them now or is it best just to leave them and not open the incubator?

 

[Madeline90]

Give it a few more days to a week. Since you weren't there to determine when the addins were added, you can figure at least a week of additional time to be sure.

Yes the other 6 for sure need more time. It’s the two that I put under her 22 days ago that I’m mostly worried about because I anticipated their hatch by now.

 

[bbond]

I didn’t think to look for that when I did the candling because I was so focused on getting them warm. Can I disturb them now or is it best just to leave them and not open the incubator?

I would personally just leave them. Try not to be too anxious (I know that’s really difficult) hatching is one of those things that you can’t really have a lot of control over. Keep us updated!!

 

[Madeline90]

Do I keep turning the ones that may or may not have a week left?

 

[bbond]

Yes. I think lockdown is only supposed to be 2 or 3 days before hatch day. And in that case maybe you can quickly candle them all while turning? I’m pretty sure the reason you don’t open the bator for the last couple of days is that you want the humidity consistent.

 

[Madeline90]

Okay I quickly candled them all. I compared them all to a chart as well. Four of them are at earlier stages- So I am thinking another week is needed AT LEAST and one probably even needs more than that.

Then the other four are very developed. Three of them were moving! I caught a magnificent video of one that was amazing and I’ve already named it “Jumper” because it was jumping and twirling around in there!

The one speckled egg is one day past due. That one is the darkest egg and the chick looks like it takes up most of the egg and is crammed in there. I did not see any movement with this one. I’m very sad but I am going to give it a few more days. I’m feeling concerned for it though.

 

[Madeline90]

Check out the video!!