Does this chick have a chance?

[Kurczaklover]

It would be nice to have chicks without drama, but that doesn't seem possible.

Today is day 21 for my hen that has been broody for several months. When the coop opened this morning she went out, and 3 hours later has not came back. We removed 2 dead chicks from the nest, one was still in the sac with no shell. And we have this little guy we moved to a heat lamp. It is 81 degrees outside, I am worried about the rest of the eggs too.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Sorry.

 

[Firsttimehens1234]

It would be nice to have chicks without drama, but that doesn't seem possible.

Today is day 21 for my hen that has been broody for several months. When the coop opened this morning she went out, and 3 hours later has not came back. We removed 2 dead chicks from the nest, one was still in the sac with no shell. And we have this little guy we moved to a heat lamp. It is 81 degrees outside, I am worried about the rest of the eggs too.

Oh I’m so sorry for your losses, if this chick should have a chance I would put her under a heat lamp or on your, I have heated up chicken by laying them by my neck and blowing on them but if you have a heating lamp use that.
I would also dap some sugar water on its beak and just letting it rest, good luck

because it looks like it’s yolk has burst and there is quite a bit of blood my hopes are not the highest but I do believe that chick are incredibly strong and your chick looks like a little fighter
Also remember to not blame yourself if it doesn’t make it, you tried and I’m sure you did everything you could

 

[Kurczaklover]

The chick did not make it and the hen has not.come.back.to the nest, so I guess all the eggs are done too. It is so devastatingly heartbreaking. My husband and I have decided to look into an incubator for the future.

 

[Firsttimehens1234]

The chick did not make it and the hen has not.come.back.to the nest, so I guess all the eggs are done too. It is so devastatingly heartbreaking. My husband and I have decided to look into an incubator for the future.

I’m so sorry to hear, some hens are just not made to be mothers, remember not to beat yourself up about it, it’s not something we really can control, great idea with the incubator

 

[BarnyardChaos]

It would be nice to have chicks without drama, but that doesn't seem possible.

Today is day 21 for my hen that has been broody for several months. When the coop opened this morning she went out, and 3 hours later has not came back. We removed 2 dead chicks from the nest, one was still in the sac with no shell. And we have this little guy we moved to a heat lamp. It is 81 degrees outside, I am worried about the rest of the eggs too.

Sorry, but I doubt there's much chance for the chick to survive. That doesn't look like the yolk sac to me - It appears his intestines are outside his body. I'd end his misery.

As for the other eggs, they still have a chance. While temperature is critical, even more so is the humidity level. If you can get them into an incubator, great. If not, try to simulate the conditions - 99-degrees-F and 70+% humidity.

Move them carefully in the same position and don't turn them, unless you see an external pip on the bottomside - then turn the pip upwards. If you don't have an incubator, I've had success with this setup: A heating pad on low setting, in a shoebox, with a moist kitchen towel laid over the heating pad. Stick a thermometer inside or under the towel to monitor temp. Lay eggs on the moist towel, and cover them loosely with the towel or another moist rag.

I hope your hen returns and hasn't fallen prey to something. Has she disappeared completely, or just refuses to come to the nest?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

The other eggs still have a chance. I had a broody kick her remaining egg from the nest once she had three healthy chicks. For whatever dumb reason, I did not remove the egg. I just left it where she kicked it, thinking I'd clean up later. Lo and behold, after 2 days outside of the nest with no heat, I saw a pip and the egg wiggled. OMG. I got that baby into the shoebox setup ASAP. I had to assist the hatch as he was shrinkwrapped, but he thrived just fine.

Mama would not accept him, so I stole one of her other chicks to put in the brooder with him so he wouldn't have to grow up all alone.

 

[picklestheduck]

Don’t give up on those eggs yet

 

[Kurczaklover]

Eggs moved to improvised incubator. It appears there are only 2 left with babies, as I candled them in place. I didn't see any movement, but we are going to try anyway.

The broody hen is out with the other girls. Maybe she knew something we didn't.

I told my other half I want an incubator, this is too heartbreaking. Now I have to start researching those.