emergency, please help

[augiedranch]

My first time broody hen hatched three chicks and left the other eggs... the eggs are chirping at me! This is day 21! (Some eggs were set two days later than the others). I brought the eggs inside and I do not have an incubator. I put them in a pan with heating pad, a wet paper towel, and covered with syran wrap with a inch hole cut in it. I have a Styrofoam cooler but I have no idea if or how I should use it. I'm so frustrated right now. I'm scared about those innocent chicks she left to die. I hear one chirping at me and two have obvious noises or pecking of some sort coming from the egg. Please help...

 

[keesmom]

Is it dark there yet? Has she gone to the nest for the night with the chicks she has hatched? If so I would put them back under her.

 

[augiedranch]

It was about noon.... and I waited as long as I thought I could to bring the eggs in. ... it's about 50-55 degrees and rainy all day. ...

 

[bobbi-j]

Stick them back under her anyway. You never know... The worst that can happen is they don't hatch. (This is why it's best to put them under the broody all at the same time, but I'm sure you've figured that out.

)

 

[augiedranch]

I didn't want a broody lol. But of course she was determined. I gave her 3 eggs, then she kept stealing eggs from other hens. After I was positive she was serious about being a mom on day 7 I tried to move her to her very own pen. She abandoned that idea. And I didn't want to cause the death of the already 7 day old chicks (gestation days). So I put her and the eggs back to original, and I put marks on the eggs... just a cluster up, but next time I'll be prepared with a incubator. I guess she got flustered being her first time and all poor thing. I hope what I made will work for a day or two tops. I would go run and get an incubator first thing in the morning if needed. Just everything is closed right now and I'm in the middle of nowhere

 

[keesmom]

She should be settled for the night by now. I think. It's been dark here for 3 hours already. Put the eggs back under her. Is there a way to block her in so she can't run out first thing in the AM?

 

[augiedranch]

I put her in a kennel in the coop, I put three eggs under her, she tossed two away ..is it normal to abandon their eggs 48 hours after the first one hatched? Usually is three days she stays...

 

[bobbi-j]

I put her in a kennel in the coop, I put three eggs under her, she tossed two away ..is it normal to abandon their eggs 48 hours after the first one hatched? Usually is three days she stays...

I haven't figured out "normal" for my chickens. Just the time I think I've figured out the rules, they change the game! If the hen feels that as many as will hatch have done so, she leaves the nest with her babies. For this hen, her timer must be a 48 hour one. Most of the "rules" - 21 days incubation, 3 days after the first chick hatches, laying starts at 5-6 months old... - are guidelines. These things may happen "on average" at these times, but your mileage may vary! I will check back tomorrow to see if you have any more hatch.

 

[augiedranch]

She abandoned the eggs .. I still have a few in my make shift incubator. . So sad

 

[bobbi-j]

They maybe weren't viable anyway. Not every egg hatches.