Help! Broody Abandoned nest for over 24 hours

[FarmerTan]

Hi, I'm not sure what to do as I do not have an incubator on hand. I noticed mama hen was off her eggs yesterday, but I could not find her anywehere, they were very cold to the touch. When I went back out this AM, she was out with the chickens in the yard.
I saw a cracked egg and inside, a little baby that was so close to hatching, but it was dead. Are all the others dead now? It's been getting fairly cold at night here. Do I try to put her back on? She has zero interest right now by the looks of it.
Thanks for your help!

 

[br0nc0]

I personally wouldn't hold my breath for any to hatch now, it's a real shame since they were so close...

That is why it's always a good idea to put a broody hen in a separate enclosed space so she doesn't even get tempted to get off the eggs. And if she does, you can always try to put a basket on her like my great-grandmother used to with those hens who had half a mind to quit, and she did it with great succes.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, FarmerTan, and

! Pleased you joined our flock! I am a hatching rookie so I always defer to the fine folks in this link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/5/incubating-hatching-eggs Hope they can give you some good advice.
And if you'd like to chat with any of your Canadian poultry "neighbors" you can find the link here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/144/canadians-check-in-here
Best wishes and thanks for joining BYC!!

 

[N F C]

I don't have hatching experience so will defer to those that do. Sorry about your wayward girl.

Best wishes and thanks for joining us!

 

[Percheron chick]

You can put the eggs under a heat lamp. Get the temp around 99.5. Even putting them on a heating pad will keep them going short term while you figure it out. Check CL for incubators or hatchers.

 

[FarmerTan]

Thank you! I have a heat lamp! I'll put them in a basket with some straw and put the heat lamp on. It's a heavy duty one, I have it set at 480W, my other option is 800W but I feel like that will get too hot? How far away do I put the lamp, and do I rotate the eggs? Thank you!!

You can put the eggs under a heat lamp. Get the temp around 99.5. Even putting them on a heating pad will keep them going short term while you figure it out. Check CL for incubators or hatchers.

 

[Percheron chick]

You'll want a thermometer. Basically it will be the same distance as you would set it for day old chicks. Are you within 2-3 days of scheduled hatch? I would warm them up then candle looking for movement and life. Using straw under a heat lamp is a little scary.

 

[FarmerTan]

Oh my, I was not thinking about the straw and heat lamp thing! I've transferred them into a little heating blanket in a basket. I think that is a better option than a super unsafe heat lamp in my house. I'm kind of clutching at straws anyways in terms of being able to keep them alive...but I'll still do my best. I will research candeling as I'm not sure how to do that.
Thanks so much for your replies!

 

[drumstick diva]

sending good hatching vibes your way

- where there is life, there is hope

 

[FarmerTan]

I candled the eggs, I found 2 that were nearly all black, assuming fully developed and ready to hatch, one of which I noticed some big red veins inside, could that mean there is a chance?! There were another few but I assume they are much too young to have survived, however, I wil still try.