Day 31 and still hatching out. STOP discarding eggs too early!

[kymmandco]

For my full story please read my other posts...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/posts/by_user/id/361647

I have had an unbelievable chicken experience and want to share it with you.
I don't know whether this is just a f**k up/miracle, but would like to hear from you if you have had similar.

Basically, I'm a newbie.
I searched these and other forums, google and bought and read many books now.
All tell me Bantam Chicken Eggs hatch out from day 19 to day 21 and advise discarding after 24 days, which unfortunately I did.

Now I have this beautiful, dedicated, nurturing broody hen, Venus, sitting on 10 eggs set on August 15/16th.
4 were stored overnight, 4 were fresh laid on the 15th and there were 2 another hen sat on during the 16th but went to roost in the evening so instead of incubating I simply added to Venus nest.

Day 7 all looked different, could see veins in some, a couple of lively embryos so just left all under.
Day 14, 8 were well developed, 1 not so and another early dead/clear.
Day 17/18 the same as day 14 so discarded the clear (nothing inside the egg, no blood rings so probably infertile or very early dead).
Day 25, water candled and saw 3 moving maybe more, so put all back under her quickly. It was a rush job. I was actually plannjing on discarding the eggs and maybe putting a couple of Isabella's eggs under her, or ping pong balls and buy in some day olds to replace them.
So glad now I didn't.

Day 27, I heard peeping and cooing while feeding Venus.
I've been feeding and watering my broodies 2-3 times daily and try to encourage them out at least for 20 minutes a day.
Sophia was easily led out, just throw some treats out and she follows, lol.
Isabella generally comes out for 20 minutes every day around 11am-12pm, always followed by Sophia who hates to be separated from her.
Venus however would never come out on her own and it takes a gentle push or tip most days to get her out. Lately she just point blank refuses to come out no matter what, and now I know why.

As I said Day 27, chick #1 arrived, 24 hours later Venus still refuses to move and soils her nest box.
On cleaning her up and transferring nest boxes I found an empty eggshell. I watched her eat the first so what was this?
Then 2 tiny baby chicks popped their heads out, the second still wet and not yet fluffed out.
Yesterday again she soiled her box, Day 30.
All eggs were soiled badly so decided if she wont leave while having eggs under her, we should remove them.
Just in case I checked for signs of pipping, candled and water candled the eggs (giving them a little wash while I was at it).
1 egg started bobbing about so I put it straight back under her.
The other 4 I incubated 'just in case'

1 discarded, 2 chicks, 1 lively egg, 4 incubated makes 8 out of 10 eggs.
Look again!!!
Another broken eggshell!!!
Where's the baby?
She keeps her pipping eggs and new chicks between her feathered toes.
1 new chick and 1 very well concealed egg remained under her.

So day 27 cam a chick, day 28, day 30 and at least 1 lively egg to come on Day 31 and counting.
I'll let you know as soon as Venus allows me access (or soils her box again, lol).

My point here being, I was discarding these babies a week ago, and from the incubator already discarded what I now think could have been potential chicks.
PLEASE give your chicks 30+ days to hatch and never discard unless you are certain they are clear/ dead, you might be surprised.

Thanks for reading and would love to hear your experiences too.
Kymm.
P.S here's a pic...

 

[kymmandco]

Day 33 and some sad news.
9:30 am very noisy and active chick pipped.
Poor Venus flipped and jumped out of her box.
I saw the chicks little face through a rather large hole (I now know it wasn't a normal pipping).

Very quickly I got Venus back in the nest, she pecked the egg a couple of times and then rolled it back under her.
I thought this was normal so just kept an eye on her awaiting hatch.
At 3pm the egg rolled out from under her no further along than earlier so I thought I better help.

Venus was NOT happy that I took her baby and think she now mistrusts me, but I will earn that trust back with lots of love and treats tomorrow.
I had a fleece covered hot water bottle and cup of cooled boiled water ready, grabbed the egg and quickly checked for signs of life. Nothing!
Using my fingernails I removed the shell and membrane from the chick and tried to will life back into the poor little thing, but failed.
He was black and yellow, with such pretty black eyes.
I wish I had helped earlier and been able to save his precious life.

Another lesson learnt.
Always remove remaining eggs 3 days after the FIRST hatch.
Her chicks are now 5, 4 and 2 days old and already out exploring so I guess late comers would be left behind anyway.

It's true 3 days after the first hatch, the mother, no matter how good a mother she is will kill any late comers.
I removed the last egg and it was very under developed so did an eggtopsy. Very juicy embryo about 14 days.

I still have 2 eggs in the incubator, the other 2 were early dead. The remaining 2 seem lifeless but I'm not giving up in them yet. Will water candle them again tomorrow if no development. They were still 2 days ago so not very hopeful, but all 3 surviving chicks are miracles, so I know they do happen.

Also, there are still no signs of life under Isabella on day 25. Water candled today and all very still and lifeless.
Off to market on Saturday for a couple of day olds I think, but as I said before, miracles do happen. Only 3 of Venus' eggs moved and only slightly around the same time and 4 made it to hatch point so will give her a couple more days at least.

Hopefully I will update with happier news soon.
Keeping fingers and toes crossed at least.
Thanks for reading.
Kymm.

 

[Gailychicks]

Day 33 and some sad news.
9:30 am very noisy and active chick pipped.
Poor Venus flipped and jumped out of her box.
I saw the chicks little face through a rather large hole (I now know it wasn't a normal pipping).

Very quickly I got Venus back in the nest, she pecked the egg a couple of times and then rolled it back under her.
I thought this was normal so just kept an eye on her awaiting hatch.
At 3pm the egg rolled out from under her no further along than earlier so I thought I better help.

Venus was NOT happy that I took her baby and think she now mistrusts me, but I will earn that trust back with lots of love and treats tomorrow.
I had a fleece covered hot water bottle and cup of cooled boiled water ready, grabbed the egg and quickly checked for signs of life. Nothing!
Using my fingernails I removed the shell and membrane from the chick and tried to will life back into the poor little thing, but failed.
He was black and yellow, with such pretty black eyes.
I wish I had helped earlier and been able to save his precious life.

Another lesson learnt.
Always remove remaining eggs 3 days after the FIRST hatch.
Her chicks are now 5, 4 and 2 days old and already out exploring so I guess late comers would be left behind anyway.

It's true 3 days after the first hatch, the mother, no matter how good a mother she is will kill any late comers.
I removed the last egg and it was very under developed so did an eggtopsy. Very juicy embryo about 14 days.

I still have 2 eggs in the incubator, the other 2 were early dead. The remaining 2 seem lifeless but I'm not giving up in them yet. Will water candle them again tomorrow if no development. They were still 2 days ago so not very hopeful, but all 3 surviving chicks are miracles, so I know they do happen.

Also, there are still no signs of life under Isabella on day 25. Water candled today and all very still and lifeless.
Off to market on Saturday for a couple of day olds I think, but as I said before, miracles do happen. Only 3 of Venus' eggs moved and only slightly around the same time and 4 made it to hatch point so will give her a couple more days at least.

Hopefully I will update with happier news soon.
Keeping fingers and toes crossed at least.
Thanks for reading.
Kymm.

Thank you for sharing this. I wish I would’ve seen your story sooner.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Sounds more like she had a very staggered hatch