Hatching with a broody.

Ximena · Jun 15, 2020

Hey guys. So I'm pretty new to hatching eggs (I've only done it once many years ago, and this is my first time with a broody). Today is 21 of incubation, and I'm really excited. However, I would like to know how to check on the hatching process without messing anything up. My original plan was to lift her up twice a day and see which eggs have hatched/pipped. However, when I lifted her up this morning, one of the eggs rolled a bit into the other. Is it safe to lift up the hen to check on the eggs? If not, now can I keep tabs on the hatching process without putting the eggs at risk.

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Ximena

Perris · Jun 15, 2020

You want to keep tabs on the process, but you may harm eggs or chicks in the process - and would you know what to do if your keeping tabs revealed something untoward? If not, then why do it? Just be patient, and you will probably be rewarded with cheeping chicks tomorrow!

Ridgerunner · Jun 15, 2020

Some people mess with their broodies all the time,including when they are hatching. I don't. I've caused harm before doing that so now I trust my broodies and leave it all up to them. It takes will power, you really want to know what is going on and it's all hidden from you.

Just an egg bumping into another probably isn't a big deal. Some broody hens try to protect their nest, not just by pecking but by fluffing up and stomping around, trying to intimidate you. They don't seem to worry about stomping on a chick when they are trying to protect them.

Another potential problem is that you can crush a chick. The first chicks that hatch sometime like to crawl under her feathers and especially under her wings. You start reaching in and pushing her around and you might accidentally crush one. I did that once. A chick was up under her wing and I picked the broody up. I killed that chick. That's what convinced me to use a little will power and wait. All because I wanted to know what color chicks she had hatched.

Shadrach · Jun 15, 2020

The advice given above by Perris and Ridgerunner is imo excellent.
Let the broody get on with the job. Don't play with the eggs and don't annoy the mum to be.

Mtnboomer · Jun 15, 2020

Our broody just hatch her chicks last week. 1st time hatching with a broody. I didn't touch her or the eggs or even open the door to her box except to check her food and water. She hatched 4 of 6 eggs. Not sure the other 2 were even fertilized.

So far dhe is raising them and proving to be an excellent mom.

Ximena · Jun 17, 2020

Ok so update on the hatching situation. I followed your advice and didn't touch the hen. So far the hatch has gone great. 8/10 eggs have hatched into beautiful healthy chicks. However, there are some issues with egg number 9. Yesterday it pipped and this morning it has made a lot of progress but hasn't hatched yet. All the other chicks hatched in 10 hours or less. I'm worried because now mama seem to have lost all interest in the eggs and instead is focused on the chicks. When I went to check on her this morning she was up showing the chicks how to eat and drink leaving the egg unattended. She ended up sitting now in a different spot so I put the egg under her again. However it seems very likely that she'll move again. I saw #9 breathing and moving so I know it is alive but I'm worried that with all the time she is spending off the nest the membrane will dry out. We don't have an incubator or another broody that I could give the egg to. Is there anything I should do to help this last chick along?

Btw today is day 23. The majority of the other chicks hatched between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.

Ridgerunner · Jun 17, 2020

That's a rough position. She has quit incubating. I'd try to help the chick out. Very carefully try removing a small piece of shell. If you see blood, stop immediately. If no blood, slowly and carefully remove the shell. You should get a helpless wet chick. You'll need to keep that chick warm until it dries out enough to walk and get around, basically a brooder. I don't know how you are set up for that. You don't want to cook it, no more than 100* F, but at least 90* F. Maybe an incandescent light bulb, maybe a plastic bag filled with warm water. A small box will work, you are just trying to keep it from chilling until it dries enough to give it to the hen.

If you see any blood stop immediately. It gets harder. You need a hatcher. Make a warm spot in a small box that you can add moisture, try to keep it humid. I've never done this but maybe a piece of paper towel or even tissue that you can wet and put around the egg but not exactly where it is pipping. It still needs to absorb the external blood vessels before it finishes hatching.

I'll be pessimistic. Most chicks I help hatch die anyway and I have the advantage of an incubator. I think you have a challenge but that doesn't mean you don't try.

Perris · Jun 17, 2020

Ximena said:
8/10 eggs have hatched into beautiful healthy chicks

that's a really good hatch rate! congratulations to you and your broody. Do please post a photo or three :jumpy

Ximena said:
now mama seem to have lost all interest in the eggs and instead is focused on the chicks

There are 8 chicks that need to get out and about and eat and drink and explore. There are 2 strugglers. She is doing what the majority of the brood need her to do for them to survive and be healthy. It's tough on the strugglers, but if you want to try to help #9, Ridgerunner's told you what's involved. I lost 2 out of 6, similarly failing to make it out of the shell in the last hatch here. It's really sad, but the hen knows that it happens and that life goes on, and she and the 8 need to let go and move on.

Ximena · Jun 17, 2020

Ok so I managed to help chick #9 get out. It was mostly out of the egg. However, mama was showing the other chicks how to scratch and throwing bedding everywhere so I didn't want it to get buried. The hardest part was getting the membrane off of the chick. I tried dabbing it with warm water, I'm not sure if that helped. Thankfully there was no blood. Right now the chick is separated from the others and under a heat lamp. It'll cheep really loudly, take a few wobbly steps, and then fall asleep. I'm hoping that in a couple hours it will be dry and strong enough to go with the others.
I took this video maybe 10 minutes after it hatched.