Monkeythemedic
In the Brooder
- May 27, 2018
- 6
- 12
- 29
Hi all, first thread. Im an irish chicken keeper going through my first hatch and could do with some advice.
So I've been keeping chickens for about five years but up until last September I've never had a cockerel. Anyway nature has taken course courtesy of a broody maran and I now had eight little chicks running around, from a thirteen egg clutch. Three were duds and two pipped eggs are the problem.
Unfortunately mother hen decided to get off the nest and stay on the floor of the roosting area with the babies in tow leaving two pipped eggs to freeze. I kept an eye on the situation but after several hours she refused to go back and sit on them. Ordinarily I would advocate leaving well enough alone but its my first hatch and I feel sorry for them.
Eventually I decided enough was enough and fired up the incubator (a fortuitous Christmas present as it happens) and got them warm again. Happily they both seem to be doing well and have unzipped (with a little help, poor things were exhausted after getting cold). One looks fine but the other has a bit of yolk still attached and a good bit of shell.
Once they are dry how should I go about putting them back in with their siblings and mother? Should I just stick them under mummy at night or how should I go about reuniting them? What should i do about the one with yolk and shell still attached? Any and all advice would be appreciated.
So I've been keeping chickens for about five years but up until last September I've never had a cockerel. Anyway nature has taken course courtesy of a broody maran and I now had eight little chicks running around, from a thirteen egg clutch. Three were duds and two pipped eggs are the problem.
Unfortunately mother hen decided to get off the nest and stay on the floor of the roosting area with the babies in tow leaving two pipped eggs to freeze. I kept an eye on the situation but after several hours she refused to go back and sit on them. Ordinarily I would advocate leaving well enough alone but its my first hatch and I feel sorry for them.
Eventually I decided enough was enough and fired up the incubator (a fortuitous Christmas present as it happens) and got them warm again. Happily they both seem to be doing well and have unzipped (with a little help, poor things were exhausted after getting cold). One looks fine but the other has a bit of yolk still attached and a good bit of shell.
Once they are dry how should I go about putting them back in with their siblings and mother? Should I just stick them under mummy at night or how should I go about reuniting them? What should i do about the one with yolk and shell still attached? Any and all advice would be appreciated.
