Broody hatched eggs in extreme cold

[as110]

We have a hen that went broody when the weather warmed up. This is her 3rd time brooding.

The first time she went to hide in the forest. I thought she died but my kids saw her feed and then disappear. I found the nest after 5 days and moved it into the house. She didn’t hatch anything and sat for 60 days. I couldn’t break her until day 60. :0(

The second time she went broody, I brought her in the house, and when chicks started to hatch, she abandoned the nest. I had to use the brooder to complete the hatch and she never accepted the chickens. Out she went.

This year is her third time. She went broody in the egg box but it is 2.5 feet off the ground. My kid was taking care of the chickens and didn’t tell me we had a broody. When I noticed he said she was already sitting there for a week. So we left her thinking it’s nice if she can do it we will not interfere and see how she does, but also we were hoping she wouldn’t hatch anything because it’s too cold.
But just in case we kept checking on her and were ready to move the nest once the chicks hatched before they would fall out and get killed by the other hens.

Well today is the coldest night of the cold snap and she hatched one and a second one was on its way when my son went to open the coop. Broody was off the nest and chicken and eggs cold and wet.

He immediately picked up the wet chicken and brought it in the house. I told him we can’t move them without the mother. The whole nest needs to come. Then he explained it’s not that easy so 4 of us grabbed a task to prep a nest, save the hatching eggs bring the hen and warm up the chicks.

She was in the middle of eating drinking and defecating, I showed her the nest with littles and she was freaking out but continued to eat the cat food and anything she could find.

Finally I managed to put her in the nest but she kept lifting the cover and stepped on the chick and the eggs so I switched and she is in a basket with a cardboard box on top. I can’t see if she settled on the 2 remaining eggs. One has a chick inside, not pipped yet. The other is a dud. The new chick and the hatching egg is in the incubator.
She keeps moving in the nest and I can hear her shaking. Not sure if I am hearing chirping or just imagining it now.

Here is the problem. The one hatching egg has the membrane dry. The head is under the wing and stopped progressing but it’s breathing and moving and chirping. I opened it a little each hour since the morning so it would not get shrink wrapped. I don’t know how long the egg has been open but judging from the first chicken still down and weak, it couldn’t have been very long. I am not going to force a fast hatch.

Ideally I want them under the hen.

How long does it take for the new chicken to stand up? It’s trying to roll but too weak and it sleeps in between.

The egg is half way open. Is this enough to prevent shrink wrapping? I don’t want it to hatch too soon.

When should I attempt to put them under the hen, if ever?

 

[NatJ]

She was in the middle of eating drinking and defecating, I showed her the nest with littles and she was freaking out but continued to eat the cat food and anything she could find.

Finally I managed to put her in the nest but she kept lifting the cover and stepped on the chick and the eggs so I switched and she is in a basket with a cardboard box on top. I can’t see if she settled on the 2 remaining eggs. One has a chick inside, not pipped yet. The other is a dud. The new chick and the hatching egg is in the incubator.

For future: I would have let her finish eating, drinking, and defecating. She does need to do those things to stay healthy. The eggs that have not yet pipped will be fine for the length of time it takes her to have a meal. Putting the chick and the in-progress egg in the incubator was a good idea.

Since you are sure one egg is a dud, I would probably throw it away at this point.

Here is the problem. The one hatching egg has the membrane dry. The head is under the wing and stopped progressing but it’s breathing and moving and chirping. I opened it a little each hour since the morning so it would not get shrink wrapped. I don’t know how long the egg has been open but judging from the first chicken still down and weak, it couldn’t have been very long. I am not going to force a fast hatch.

The egg is half way open. Is this enough to prevent shrink wrapping? I don’t want it to hatch too soon.

Unfortunately, I can't give any useful advice there.
I assume you've already read the article on assisted hatching?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Ideally I want them under the hen.

Given what you've said of her past history, I don't know if that will work out well or not. I suppose you won't know for sure until you try it.

How long does it take for the new chicken to stand up? It’s trying to roll but too weak and it sleeps in between.

That sounds normal. A few hours can make a big difference, and by the next day they are usually much more stable on their feet, although they still need lots of naps.

When should I attempt to put them under the hen, if ever?

I would probably try tucking the hatched chick under her tonight, after dark.

That lets the hen snuggle the chick and cluck to it, and the chick peeps back, all night long.
For some hens and chicks, that seems to be all it takes for them to decide they belong together.

I don't have experience dealing with difficult hens. Of course brooding the chicks yourself is an option.