Big Disappointment - may lose whole clutch

[mulewagon]

I dunno - started this broody out with a dozen eggs. About a week ago, saw her with a black face and found a broken shell. I assumed she had accidentally broken the egg, and eaten the chick to keep the nest clean.

Then I heard peeping yesterday, and saw one new-hatched chick - left them alone to get on with it. But today there's what looks like a dead chick under there, and lots of broken shell, some ooky stuff, and a few intact eggs. I don't know if a broken egg infected the rest, or she's just killing the chicks, or what. Bleh.

If there's no live chicks tomorrow, I'll clean the nest out for the next broody. But it's a big, big disappointment - snakes ate most of the first three clutches, and I've set up a snake-proof cage, and now this. Bleh! At least the other broody's eggs are still clean and dry - maybe she'll be successful.

 

[WillowWoodsFarm]

Im so sorry to hear the bad news...

 

[Gypsy07]

Do you have an incubator you could move the rest of the eggs to?

 

[Fleezie]

If it is warm out you can put the intact eggs out in the sun. At this point If they are warm to the touch it would be okay. If you check on them and they feel chilly you could put them under a lamp. Nature should do the rest.

 

[mulewagon]

Alas, no incubator or space to raise chicks separately - I'm letting the mamas raise them in the flock. It was too late for these eggs, anyway. I left them until this morning, hoping against hope - my new motto is "When in doubt, throw them out!". It was just horrid. One of the eggs exploded when I picked it up (with tongs, fortunately!)

So the nestbox is out to be bleached, and the bereaved mama is airing out in the run. Guess all I can do is inspect the next hatching eggs very carefully...