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- #11
I posted pics of the eggs I am still "waiting on" Any ideas or thoughts they are still in lock down mode again after 4 days (restarted since I can't tell at this point). I was hoping my pics would help on how far along they may be....Ok so we all learn from our mistakes, don’t worry but you do now have an issue.
the hen should leave the nest with the chicks that have hatched after about 24-48 hours. She will abandon the unhatched eggs as the ones she has need to eat and drink after a couple of days. They are ok at first as they live off the yolk they absorb in the egg just before hatching.
You will need to either lose the inhatched eggs or put in an incubator and raise them yourself in a brooder with heat, as she won’t accept new ones once she has had hers for a few days.
if you take the chicks that have hatched away thinking you can give her them back once the others hatch please don’t. She won’t accept the chicks back after they are a day or two old. They need to imprint on each other for first 24 hours of life. It is impossible for you to now end up with all eggs hatched and being looked flatter by mama hen. Lee her have the ones she’s hatched already as they are defo here, out the other in an incubator and if you are lucky another hen may go broody and as long as she has sat for a week at least and the chicks are only a day old you can try to give them to her. If not - you’re the mama! Good luck
Also there are loads of great videos on you tube that will help you with all these things.