- Jul 5, 2016
- 13
- 4
- 79
Desperately need help! I have read almost every thread and article there is and I'm sure I'm going to be told I need to wait. Found hen on eggs on Sunday 11/6. Not my hen, belongs to a friend. She sat on them outside in long grass in temps from 60's all the way down to the 20's until 11/21 or 11/22. Had a snow storm on 11/17 and she was covered by the tall grass & snow drift over that. Basically an igloo. Like I said, not my hen! On 11/20 she was dug out with all the eggs, she was still sitting on them, and moved to a nest in a barn. I think its a miracle she was alive was LIVID that anyone would treat their animals this way but that's for another thread! On 11/22 got a styrofoam incubator and was given permission to take the eggs because with her last clutch she had eaten half or more of the eggs and started to kill the chicks as they started to hatch. I had them at 99 with about 70% humidity and took them out of the automatic turner on Friday 11/25. I did boost their temp to about 101 on Saturday or Sunday. Soooooooo........after all of that information here we are. I didn't really think any of the chicks would make it so I candled them on Sunday11/27. Of the 17 eggs 12 are definitely moving in their shells! (i saw this by candling) and There is only one that looks like it had broken through the air sac (I saw that yesterday when I candled them because I'm going insane waiting). But there is no pipping, no chirping, no rolling around! Help me please! Thank you so much for all the information here! I'd be so lost with you!