Broody hatch...what went wrong???

[MamaMarcy]

I set eggs undermy 2 broody hens (bantams, their own eggs) on day 5 of incubation. When I set them all 8 had veins. Mamas took them just fine. One disappeared, and i went to check on them yesterday (hatch day)...most looked off (shadowy) and I didnlt see any PIPs or hear peeping or pecking so I float tested. Only 1 of 7 showed signs of life.

I cracked the 6 and all of them were rotten, looked like development stopped maybe a week ago or so. Day 5 coming out of the incubator and yesterday were the only days I touched them.

 

[mstricer]

Maybe they didn't sit tight enough.

 

[JimnTer]

I handle the eggs under my broodies frequently and I have had excellent hatch rates, so I don't think that is your problem. 8 bantam eggs under a bantam chicken doesn't seem like too many either. I have no idea what the problem would be. Is this her first time going broody?

 

[MamaMarcy]

There's 2 of them. Both have been broody for 2months now. The first clutch of eggs was eaten right before hatch by our turkey & muscovies (we think) and we got rid of them (turkey died, sold the ducks) so I put the 5 day old incubator eggs under them. So once one disappeared they shared 7 eggs ebtween the two. They are always sitting on them. ALWAYS (if one gets up to eat/drink the other takes the eggs). I tried to break the broodiness before giving them this new batch of eggs to no avail. I thought maybe if they hatch some out they'd un-broody. I'll give the remaining egg 2-3 more days but still no PIPs or pecking from it. I'm not hopeful. Oh and now sister hen has gone broody (3rd bantam cochin) on an empty nest, so I just set 6 bantam mille fleur eggs under her (shipped) as well as 2 bantam turken eggs.

 

[JimnTer]

i'm just guessing, but maybe 2 hens competing for the same clutch of eggs caused them to be poorly covered. Hopefully you have better luck with this other one.

 

[MamaMarcy]

Every time I checked they were tucked under really well.

I caved and stopped by the feed store and came home with 3 baby cochins (a buff, a black, and a partridge) and 3 baby mille fleurs...the mamas have adopted them splendidly!!!!

One of the 2 pecked the partridge and the buff once each but I htink they were saying "get under me" cause now they are just all tucking the babies in and stuff. I noticed a bunch of chick starter was "spilled" out of the dish i set in there, so I assume the mama hens did this for the babies?? I left the due-to-hatch egg there but took the 2 naked neck eggs from them. I mean three...we have a cow bird laying on them it seems...anyway I gave the NN eggs to the 3rd broody in another coop along with 6 mille fleur eggs that came in todays mail. 2 of the NN eggs were only under the mama hens for <24 hrs so hopefully they all hatch near the same time. Then I found another cow bird egg tonight and took it away.

 

[Pinx]

i'm just guessing, but maybe 2 hens competing for the same clutch of eggs caused them to be poorly covered. Hopefully you have better luck with this other one.

I had 2 silkies hatch eggs together. I also had a Cochin hen in on the action as well but the box was just too cramped for all 3 so I gave her her own eggs. The silkies hatched out all of their eggs and took care of them together, the Cochin is a horrible broody and was constantly leaving her eggs for too long and they were getting too cold. When the other hens hatched their eggs I checked hers and all were bad so I let her out with the others and she was the 3rd mama to the chicks. Actually they all watched over them etc, but the Cochin was the main one taking care of them. So the hen locked up by herself hatched Zero and the 2 sharing eggs hatched all of theirs.

 

[MamaMarcy]

I just went out to show the chicks to my husband and one of the mama hens was on the floor of the attached run. I lifted her up and under her was a chick that ust have fallen from the nest. she saved it and warmed it! YAY MAMAS!

 

[Pinx]

I just went out to show the chicks to my husband and one of the mama hens was on the floor of the attached run. I lifted her up and under her was a chick that ust have fallen from the nest. she saved it and warmed it! YAY MAMAS!

The chicks should be venturing from the nest with their mamas soon to eat and drink. I would get them moved down so the chicks can get back in when the mamas take them out.

 

[MamaMarcy]

I have food and water in with them (near their nest). The condo as we call it is up a ramp. Will the mamas teach the chicks how to go up and down the ramp?