First timer question. Need you input!!!!! Emergency..

[Pharm Girl]

My chicken went broody so I put 6 fertilized eggs under her 3 days ago. I was planning on moving the other three chickens to the new coop tonight, but let them lay in the next box over from the broody for today. At some point, while we were out, she stopped sitting on her fertilized eggs and moved next door to the three unfertilized eggs the others laid. The fertilized eggs were cool when I got home. I immediately moved her back on the fertilized eggs and took all the others. She's now locked in by herself and the others will have to figure out the new coop tonight.
Is it to late for this batch? Will they have perished while she sat upon the other eggs? I was worried this would happen and had planned to move all the others out tonight! Ugh..
I don't know how to candle, though it can't be that hard.

What is your vote? Still good or bad news......?

 

[Suechick]

They might be OK. I've candled around day 6 or 7 and was able to see movement, before that it's too early to tell.
Do you have any idea how long she might have been off the eggs?
Keeping her completely separate with only the eggs you want her to sit on is a good move. I hope it works out for you.

 

[clairabean]

I guess it depends on how cold they got. Only three days in....
Well, you can do two things- keep her on the eggs and candle early to see development or toss them adnd start fresh.

 

[Pharm Girl]

We left at 10am and she was on her eggs. I'm assuming the others laid their eggs throughout the day before she switched over. We got home at 4:30. Worst case, she was off them for 5 hours. Best case only two or three probably..
Boo, I'm so sad about it. I had this all timed so perfectly.

Keep up the advice!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Off them for 5 hours? I'd keep at it.

Just my opinion. I have only hatched three times with an incubator, and hatched with a broody once.

 

[Pharm Girl]

I should also mention that it was about 55 degrees out today. We don't live in freezing temps. Maybe that will be in my favor?

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Definately in your favor. Let her sit on them until enough days have passed to candle. You have nothing to lose and you'll only be, what, 10 days behind if you have to start over with fresh eggs?

 

[ScissorChick]

Don't toss them.

I'd candle them in about a week or so. https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-candling.html

Heres a link for candling. But if you can't do what they did in the link, just use a toilet paper

roll for the 'candler'.

 

[Suechick]

Is there any chance you have an incubator? Maybe you could put a few fertile eggs in there to get them started and then have them going just in case you don't see anything when you candle. Just a thought.

I hope it works out.

 

[Pharm Girl]

Actually this thread has always scared me from getting an incubator. Temperatures, humidity, lock down, shrink wrapped chicks, power outages, yikes. We're in the city, so we only need/want a handful of chickens. I was hoping ms. broody could do the job cheaper and more efficiently, plus I love to watch nature at work. I also wanted her to do all the hard work of raising them. Guess I was wrong or unprepared or just plain 'on the learning curve'. That would be a great idea if I had one though. I plan on candling them in a couple of days and see if I can see anything. Maybe a few will be spared.