Chick brought back from the dead

[Larkin]

My broody Oprah had 5 eggs. 2 chicks hatched last week Wednesday and one egg was leaking and totally undeveloped. 2 other eggs were heard tapping and yesterday one piped. As the day progressed, the hole was bigger, saw it cheeping through it's hole, but not hatched. Evening came, I went to check on it and I found Oprah, her 2 chicks and one unhatched/unpiped egg BUT NO HATCHING CHICK! I dug around the litter, found a almost half hatched egg, limp and eyes closed and cold. UGGH! I quick brought it in the house to get a better look at it and show the kids. I think the heat of my hands and "handling it, petting it" made it start to breath again!? I got a warm washcloth, heating pad, and covered it up. We watched over it (kids and I) and once it started cheeping, I was shocked. Now mind you, the eggs was still mostly there, just the wings and head were exposed. Eventually, it stretched out of the rest of the egg but still had it's "cord" attached to the bottom of the shell and was pulling that along with it. I kept it in a box all night and this morning, it looks like a healthy chick brought back from the dead.

Now, I brought it back to Oprah and am a little concerned how she will take it. She wasn't thrilled at first til it got underneath her, now she seems fine. My worry is about it and about the other egg under her. Is she just happy with 2 chicks (make that 3) and didn't want this one? Did she unknowingly bury her chick? I wish she'd just tell me already she was done with this hatching thing, I'd take them!

 

[Nicole01]

Awww... That is wonderful! I don't know anything about chickens yet, I just got my first 3 pullets a few days ago.

 

[wegotchickens]

It was probably dying but not quite dead yet, so you definitely saved it!!

Is Oprah a first-time mom? If so, keep a close eye on her to make sure she doesn't hurt any of the babies by accident.

She may've buried the hatching chick by accident, while fussing over the hatched babies. Or there may be something wrong with the chick that she can sense but that hasn't shown up yet.

 

[Larkin]

Quote:

I have my fingers crossed for the chicks, hope mamma isn't rejecting them at this point

Chickens are so much fun, such joy to watch mother nature do it's thing. This is our first broody hen. Our chickens are about 7 months and 2 of the 9 are broody and hatching babies right now. One is almost out of the shell last time I checked. Great learning going on here I tell ya'!

 

[Larkin]

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YES, Oprah is a first time mom. I've been checking on her to make sure this newest one is okay because the thought did cross my mind that something's not quite right with it.
She doesn't leave her cage, she's still sitting on one last egg. She's been doing her dirty business in the cage and then she kicks it out. I wonder if it was a mistake that she buried the chick in progress or it she rejected it. Seems healthy to me but I'm a human mom!

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
YES, Oprah is a first time mom. I've been checking on her to make sure this newest one is okay because the thought did cross my mind that something's not quite right with it.
She doesn't leave her cage, she's still sitting on one last egg. She's been doing her dirty business in the cage and then she kicks it out. I wonder if it was a mistake that she buried the chick in progress or it she rejected it. Seems healthy to me but I'm a human mom!

If she's a new mom, then it was probably a 'house-cleaning' accident. It's good that she's still on the last egg, but soon the chicks are going to need food & water and she'll leave the nest. It will be okay for short periods of time, but if she leaves it all day then the egg will suffer if anyone is in there.

If you don't have an incubator and think there's a chick in that last egg, you can wrap it in a kleenex and tuck it into your bra to keep it warm until she's back on the nest. If you don't hear peeping, try candling the egg to make sure there's a chick in there before you try the bra-bator method. That way you don't have to worry about a rotten egg exploding on you

 

[Larkin]

Actually, I have her with her babies inside a rabbit cage that she can come out of but she chooses not too. She does her business inside and like you said, does some house keeping to clean out her area. I do have chick starter inside along with fresh water . When she starts eating (while sitting on her eggs and chicks), her 1 week olds are coming out from under her to eat and drink. I wonder if she'll just sit tight for the last one to hatch. So far so good. The other hens are in and out of the coop and Oprah has been defending her rabbit cage from them. I was hoping to expose the rest of the ladies to the new moms (we have 2 broodies going right now, separately of course)and their babies this way.

 

[Larkin]

okay, I took the baby out. Oprah was just not being too nice to it. I know I should have attempted this at night but I was too afraid of her rejection of the nugget and then in the morning, I'd find a dead chick. I gave it to my other broody, Goldie, who just had a chick hatch this morning. They all seem to be getting along better than Oprah and her chicks.



Here's nugget with Goldie. Better match I hope. (yes, I'll be moving them to a better location now that the chicks are hatching-I wasn't sure if she'd hatch them or not because she spent a lot of time off the nest it seemed)

 

[wegotchickens]

How's you chick doing now?
Good, I hope!

 

[Larkin]

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Yes, it is doing well! I'm so glad I decided to remove it from mom and give it to the other hen Goldie. Goldie hatched 1 of 3 eggs and with the adopted Nugget, she has 2 chicks! It would have been sad if she only had one.
They are eating and drinking, seem to be happy. Mom isn't protective at all so I worry how they will do when they are introduced to the general population, but I'll deal with that when the time comes.

This is a pic of Nugget who is 5 days old today!