Hatch gone bad, update!!!!

[muddstopper]

2 weeks ago I came home to find one of my black autralopes setting. I had been away for a week so i wasnt sure just when she started to set. Anyways she only had three eggs under her so I added 5 more from that days lay. I didnt think there would be more than one or two days between when she started setting and when I added the other eggs, but figured I would take the chance. Well it was 17 days ago I added the extra eggs and today I found momma and 2 chicks in the coop, one dead chick in the nest and 5 unhatched eggs. Sometime between 11am and 4 pm the hen came off the nest. I gathered the 5 remaining eggs and placed in my incubator, but the eggs felt cool to the touch. I figure to give them a few days to see if any more will hatch. What does anybody think my chances are for hatching out the remaining eggs.

 

[ginbart]

Did you candle the eggs you put in the bator?

 

[WriterofWords]

Don't give up, I have duck eggs hatching that the momma duck got off the nest accidently. The door to the kennel blew shut and she was off for about 8 - 9 hours and then some of the eggs were damaged by a malicious chicken. I have one baby and two trying to hatch right now.

 

[muddstopper]

Nope, didnt candle. My incubator was in the closet and I had to get it out and hook it back up, and I didnt want the eggs out of the heat no longer than I had to. 21days will be this Friday. I might candle tonite just to see if anything is in there, but I am pretty sure most of them at least developed, my hatch rate has been close to 90%. My biggest concern is the amount of time they set in the nest without being covered by the hen. I know she was still on the nest at 11 am, I found her off the nest at 4pm and the chicks where dry, so it would be 5hrs or less for the eggs without any heat source. They will either hatch or not. I should have replaced all the eggs the hen was setting on with fresh eggs when I found her setting. So far she is being a good mother, flogging anything that even gets near the pen. Maybe by friday or saturday I will have a few more to give to her.

 

[ginbart]

I wish you luck and I'm waiting to see what happens.

Sending good vibes your way.

 

[muddstopper]

Update, Well things are looking up. lastnite, 4 out of the 5 rescued eggs have hatched. I had one hatch earily yesterday morning and had planned on slipping it under the momma hen lastnite. I made a trip to Bargains to pick up a couple of roos and got home a little while ago to find I had two more hatch and one that had zipped the shell. It too, was out in a few more minutes. The final egg I think wont hatch, its hard to tell as its all black, but I think I saw some movement.

 

[WriterofWords]

Wonderful!!

 

[ginbart]

I love to hear about a happy ending. Good for you.