Eggs! Coming! Now! Help! Mama ran away! I need to incubate them without an incubator!

[ackie]

if you had a proper incubator I would say to incubate them yourself and not risk her not coming back... but since it's essentially an experiment at this point, I dont know.

 

[ackie]

I'm not familiar with the makeshift incubators though I guess they work to some extent or the plans wouldn't be out there

 

[bobbi-j]

I just need advice on how to care for them.... they are close to hatching so I need to know how to treat them, so I can give them the best chance of survival regardless of if the mom comes or not..... I will try to reunite the eggs with her, but no promises she will take to them...

At this point, I wouldn’t bother trying to give them back to her. I’m sure she is no longer broody. If you wanted to try, you could set up a nest for her with fake eggs (even golf balls will do) and see if she sits. If she does, I’d wait a minimum 3 days to make sure she means it, then slip her eggs back under her at night with no or little light, and as little disturbance as possible.

ETA - if they do hatch (not under her), plan on raising them.Since she abandoned the nest, she won’t take the chicks either.

 

[FluffySilkie]

At this point, I wouldn’t bother trying to give them back to her. I’m sure she is no longer broody. If you wanted to try, you could set up a nest for her with fake eggs (even golf balls will do) and see if she sits. If she does, I’d wait a minimum 3 days to make sure she means it, then slip her eggs back under her at night with no or little light, and as little disturbance as possible.

ETA - if they do hatch (not under her), plan on raising them.Since she abandoned the nest, she won’t take the chicks either.

Sounds great!

 

[aart]

At this point, I wouldn’t bother trying to give them back to her. I’m sure she is no longer broody. If you wanted to try, you could set up a nest for her with fake eggs (even golf balls will do) and see if she sits. If she does, I’d wait a minimum 3 days to make sure she means it, then slip her eggs back under her at night with no or little light, and as little disturbance as possible.

ETA - if they do hatch (not under her), plan on raising them.Since she abandoned the nest, she won’t take the chicks either.

Ditto Dat.

Otherwise you need a brooder with a heat source.

 

[FluffySilkie]

Ditto Dat.

Otherwise you need a brooder with a heat source.

I have a brooder

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I just need advice on how to care for them.... they are close to hatching so I need to know how to treat them, so I can give them the best chance of survival regardless of if the mom comes or not..... I will try to reunite the eggs with her, but no promises she will take to them...

Are you in the US?
If you've already candled them, then don't handle them much anymore, except to turn them. It would be good to know what day they are on since the last 3 days you don't turn them.
Were you able to make something to incubate them in so they have some humidity?
Hopefully you will have a successful hatch.

Do be prepared to brood them if the hen is not an option. Since she's stressed and has sort of run off, likely you will need to brood them.
It doesn't have to be fancy. As you can see, I've used a couple of cardboard boxes fitted together to make a brooder in my office. I use a heating pad cave for heat. I use puppy pads to line the bottom of the box brooder. I usually put a couple of layers down at first, then just change the top layer at least once a day.
A little dish can hold your chick starter, the chicks are going to scratch it all over the place. If you have a chick feeder that's even better. A chick water station is good to use for water. If you don't have one of those, we'll help you improvise.

Since you had to save these egg and they are not hatching in ideal conditions. I would offer electrolytes/vitamins in their water for a couple of days. That's what I do with just hatched chicks.

I understand it's a lot to process, just take it all slow and think everything out.

 

[FluffySilkie]

Are you in the US?
If you've already candled them, then don't handle them much anymore, except to turn them. It would be good to know what day they are on since the last 3 days you don't turn them.
Were you able to make something to incubate them in so they have some humidity?
Hopefully you will have a successful hatch.

Do be prepared to brood them if the hen is not an option. Since she's stressed and has sort of run off, likely you will need to brood them.
It doesn't have to be fancy. As you can see, I've used a couple of cardboard boxes fitted together to make a brooder in my office. I use a heating pad cave for heat. I use puppy pads to line the bottom of the box brooder. I usually put a couple of layers down at first, then just change the top layer at least once a day.
A little dish can hold your chick starter, the chicks are going to scratch it all over the place. If you have a chick feeder that's even better. A chick water station is good to use for water. If you don't have one of those, we'll help you improvise.

Since you had to save these egg and they are not hatching in ideal conditions. I would offer electrolytes/vitamins in their water for a couple of days. That's what I do with just hatched chicks.

I understand it's a lot to process, just take it all slow and think everything out.
View attachment 2491822

I am in the U.S, I have experience raising recently hatched chicks as I have raised 3 day old Silkie chicks, I have a brooder, a small dish for food, vitamin/electrolyte packet for their water, and a chick waterer, I also have a little white and orange set up that goes around the mat I have!

 

[aart]

I am in the U.S, I have experience raising recently hatched chicks as I have raised 3 day old Silkie chicks, I have a brooder, a small dish for food, vitamin/electrolyte packet for their water, and a chick waterer, I also have a little white and orange set up that goes around the mat I have!

What do you have for heat?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I am in the U.S, I have experience raising recently hatched chicks as I have raised 3 day old Silkie chicks, I have a brooder, a small dish for food, vitamin/electrolyte packet for their water, and a chick waterer, I also have a little white and orange set up that goes around the mat I have!

Great! Sounds like you're all set!