Broody rejected eggs, NO INCUBATOR!!! HELP!

[LisaJean]

I spoke to the fellow who sold me the eggs, and he suggested a rubbermaid bin with a light suspended over it. I raushed out and bought a thermometer, and have it sitting on top of the eggs. I also have wet down the towels under the eggs.

At least two are peeping. One of the other had sweated out a drop of clear yellowish sticky fluid. I swiped it off, and took a whiff, and it almost knocked me over. So I'm thinking that one may be bad.

I candled them as best I could by holding them up to the light. I can see air cells in some, some are solid black inside.

I think this is going to be my last attempt at hatching eggs, at least until I get an incubator to back me up.

 

[LisaJean]

I am a murderer. A stupid, impatient, incompetent murderer.

I picked up one of the eggs, and I could hear the little life inside peeping. I figured if it was peeping, it was ready to hatch. So I pried the shell open. The chick lay there encased in a membrane, still peeping slightly.

I tore away the membrane, and her head flopped back. She opened her wings once, gasped once, and then died right in my hands. A precious little life destroyed by my stupidity and impatience.

There's no feeling like it. She was alive, and then I killed her. For no good reason.

 

[Sillystunt]

oh no! NEVER INTERVIEN except when emergancy~ How many left? don't help, let nature take it's course!!

 

[LisaJean]

There are seven eggs left, but I think at least one of them is rotten.

 

[fordmommy]

I'm so sorry that happened.

I don't know if you have a Fleet Farm store near you, but I know that baters are only $40.00 there. Maybe you should get one now instead of waiting. Then there is less worry on your part.

 

[Sillystunt]

mine are on day 21 and doing nothing! I am here with you~ Holding your hand via the BYC website....LOL

 

[peepinglaura]

Ugh, Poor you. Guilt is a painful thing. Been there.

I caused a chick to drown. I quite possibly caused my broody hen to get eaten by a fox. It's a sickening feeling. But, it is a chick, and lots of chicks die hatching. The odd were already tacked against this little gaffer. Sorry to hear your news- patience is not a virtue of mine, and I've often learned this the hard way.

Your extreme intervention indeed killed it; however, if you had never intervened by taking the eggs in to begin with, it would have died as well.

Sorry to hear,

Laura


Quote:

 

[saddina]

Find the rotten egg, get it out, if it smells bad the chick's dead and it can infect the rest. take a deep breath, don't help any more, your job is to monitor them, thier job is to get out of the egg.

 

[LisaJean]

Quote:
Oh I got the rotten one out all right. I went into the bathroom to break it open into the toilet, and with the first tap, the thing popped in my hand.

The smell was indescribable. Even now just thinking about it makes me gag. There were three others that I am 99% sure are rotten, and I just chucked them intact into the composter.

 

[LisaJean]

UPDATE! Two survivors out of a dozen.