Emergency in the coop!

[pseudoyams]

I have a broody hen that I got some fertile eggs to hatch last week. Today is day 8 and I came home to find that one of the eggs is broken open (the one with the "blue gene" possibility...boo!) and the hen is sitting on some other non-fertile eggs (we dont have a rooster). The egg that broke was definitely "growing" as there was a beginnings of a baby chick in the mess. I cleaned everything up, cleaned the eggs and the nesting box, put the fertile eggs back and the hen back on top of them. She's been sitting on them since. Judging from the past, she usually got off the eggs around 11-12 to move around and eat and would be on them shortly after. Im guessing the eggs were probably left alone for 3-5 hours with the coop being approx 60-65F in there. Do any of the remaining eggs have a chance of making it?

So sad to see that broken egg...

-Rob

 

[debilorrah]

Is she in with other birds? If so, that is where the non fertile eggs are coming from - they are laying behind her and pushing them under her. The broken one was probably trampled. Believe it not, yes they do still have a chance.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
My broody hen got back on the wrong nest too. When I got home the eggs were stone cold, not just cool. She could of been off of them for up to 6 hours and ended up hatching 9/11. One of the unhatched eggs was an early quiter (from before they got cold) and the other started to zip, but died before hatching out. I was very happy with the 9 ducklings and think yours have a very good chance of hatching too.

 

[pseudoyams]

Yes she is still in the coop. There were no unfertile eggs under her though - only the 8 fertile eggs were there. It looks like after that one broke she got back on them. She had egg from the broken one on her belly feathers. I think she moved to the other nest because of the mess? I dunno. Needless, she is very protective of those eggs and hasn't went to a different box since I put her on the fertile eggs. I checked on her a few times tonight and she is keeping those eggs warm right now!

It's great to hear they still have a chance!!!

 

[pseudoyams]

Another egg went missing (probably got kicked out, broken and eaten) earlier this week. So 6 were left to hatch. Right now I have three good looking chicks and one more under mom. 2 eggs are left, but not sure if those are going to hatch as its now day 23 of them. But, she got a few kids so she's happy!