Help! Broody abandoned chirping eggs!

[DCS]

Hi guys,

One of my cochins went broody last month, so I stuck some eggs under her. The first hatched 2 days ago, but when I went out this afternoon to check, she was not only off the nest, but the eggs were cold and the single chick that had hatched had died. At least one of the eggs was chirping, and I thought I heard a second or third.

I have been out there several times, stuck the eggs under anyone in a nest box, but ultimately, when I come back 30 minutes later, the hen is off, having laid the egg she needed to.

So... I scooped up the three left, and stuck them in my bra for lack of a better idea. I don't have an incubator, and one is chirping up a storm. The other two, I can't tell.

I thought chirping meant that hatch was imminent. No pips, though. Should I stick them in the brooder under a heatlamp? Just carry them around? Crack 'em open in case they're stuck from the humidity drop?

Help!!

(Note that the last thing I really need are more chicks... but chirping is so hard to resist!)

 

[Daidohead]

I wish I had an answer for you, maybe under the brooder lamp with some damp rags ? hope this bump helps

 

[muddyhorse]

do you have a foam cooler ? a light bulb ? look on this site for hatcher plans, you can mist the eggs to get up the humidity. how about a heating pad ? luckily the last couple of days temp is not a critical but humidity is. keep us updated

 

[Happy Chooks]

There was a person here that hatched a chick in her bra. So I'd keep them in your bra. Humidity should be good there.

 

[DCS]

It didn't seem uniformly warm, and iffy on the humidity, so I put them in a box, under the brooder lamp, and stuck the setup in my guest bathroom, where I'm running a hot, steamy bath.

And I have to go to work tonight... so the bra solution wasn't going to work for more than a couple hours. We shall see, I guess.

 

[cthrash1]

Good luck and don't forget to put a couple of damp washcloths in the box for humidity.

 

[DCS]

Well, the bathroom is good and humid now... I spritzed the towels and eggs with water.

I do worry that the drop in humidity while they were in the coop may have caused problems, but I'm TRYING to be patient. Not succeeding very well. The one is still chirping - and chirps a lot if I tap the egg. I don't think I hear anything from the other two.

 

[DCS]

How long will it chirp before hatching??

That single egg is still chirping in my bathroom... nothing that I can tell from the other two.

 

[cthrash1]

may have to pull out the tweezers and help it out. It could be shrinkwrapped.. If you spritz the dried membrain with warm water it will moisten and loosen it but when the haven't pipped it could be touch and go like trying to avoid the veins in the membrain so it doesn't bleed to death in the shell. ew sorry tough decision... Hope for a good outcome.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I agree with cthrash 1. You need to help the chicks out!!!