Hatching Disaster - please advise!!!

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Finally one of our eggs hatched and the mother immediately attacked the chick viciously flinging it around the nest. Then she attacked oe of the eggs and pecked holes in it.

The one baby is alive - barely. We got her out of there and put the baby and eggs in a plastic tub under a heat lamp. Should we attempt to get the other chick out of the cracked egg or leave it to work it out (if it is still alive - it isn't moving or peeping) We have no way of providing appropriate incubation - what emergency services can we provide?

 

[GreenGoddess]

just keep them under the lamp and provide a few wet washcloths for humidity.. There are people out there that have hatched eggs in their bras so the conditions don't need to be absolutely perfect.. What do you have to lose? Sending hatching vibes your way!

Goddess

 

[Intheswamp]

Put some type of thermometer so you can at least be sure that you're not broiling the eggs/chicks. If it reads something like 95-100 you should be ok. You also need to get the humidity up as high as you can. I say "as high as you can" because without a prepared incubator it will be difficult to get your "emergency incubator's" humidity up too high. If there is room in there place a tray fool of water in there. Water surface is more important than depth...more surface equals more humidity.

Try to figure a way seal the tub with the heat lamp inside (you might could actually use something like a 60 watt light bulb since it will be enclosed). Maybe placing the tub in a larger cardboard box would work? Seal it up so the moisture will remain inside and high. The cracked/pecked egg might need a light misting. Misting would probably help the rest of the eggs too, though probably not a good thing for the chick. Misting is a quick fix on getting the humidity up but don't drench everything.

You need a brooder. I would go ahead and put the chick in a box with a lamp hanging over the top....experiment with the height of the lamp to get it right...you don't want the chick shivering directly beneath it and don't want the chick cowering in the corner panting from being over heated. Ideally the chicks should be wondering around and not glued to one spot in the brooder. A larger box would work good here so the chick could get away from the heat if he needs to.

Basically for the unhatched egg you want to get the humidity up and keep the temperature up around (optimally) 99.5F.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Quote:
What?! Tell me more about the bra hatching!! Was it all 21 days?

 

[GreenGoddess]

Quote:

no.. it wasn't all 21 days.. I think the longest one was like the last 4-7 days.. Just another one that had a broody that if i remember correctly just got up off the nest.. So they put it in their bra and hatched it.. You could probably do a search for it on here...

Goddess

 

[bigstack]

Any container should work as long as it is 99.5 to 101. the higher the humidity the better. You just don't want the eggs to be wet or damp! If there is moisture forming on the egg it will drown the chick. A spritz is ok cause it only gets on 1 side. Just make sure to use 105 degree water. The water will cool as it is sprayed through the air. thats why the 105 instead of 100. You can adjust the position of the lamp to adjust the heat. consistancy is very important. I would not try to open the other egg! If the chick is not ready it will bleed to death If removed from the shell. I would just keep them humid and warm. They should be fine.

Good luck and God Bless!

 

[chicklunatic]

Yeah, I am wondering about this bra thing too.....they actually carried the egg around in their bra while wearing it? How didi they keep from bumping and breaking it?

 

[Why and Dotte]

I'm having the same problem as well,
it's her first time hatching and she pecked at the chick as it was hatching out I snagged the egg from her and luckily it wasn't injured. I'm not sure if I should trust her with the other 6 though. the rest of them are hatching right now and I'm running out to check on them to make sure she eaten them...

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

The one chick was not ready to be hatched really and I am 90% sure it is dead. I am keeping it warm and moist. The shell and membrane are both broken. The one that was hatched still looks to me like it was not ready even thought the hatch is over 23 days. It is alive and chirping and breathing, but it cannot stand. It hatched ? or was pulled from its shell at 8 this morning --- shouldn't it be able to stand by now?

We have a make shift incubator going now (thanks DH!) the temp is 100 and we're keeping it moist by placing damp washcloths in a bowl in the tub. When they get dry they are replaced. Since it is already 23 days, what else should we do and how long should we give the eggs?

I was really hoping for a happy let it all happen naturally hatch!!

 

[ChaosTheory]

Going through the same thing right now =[ Day 24 and we thought all the chicks were dead in the eggs, but one pipped today, and the mom ate it! It's dead now, and I have no idea what to do with the rest of the eggs, ugh.