Help! Broody hens pecking at fist chick!

[lizgarf]

Thanks for your thoughtful responses again, Chooks! Sorry for the delayed gratitude - it's been a busy couple days.
The co-parenting is going very well currently. Very little pecking going on, and they're teaching them to eat and just seem to be really content with the whole process. A second chick hatched today, and they look like a real family of four now. The other 4 eggs are not looking promising, though - and that could partly be due to rolling the eggs too much while sharing, as well as a number of other factors. It's now 22 days exactly, I guess I'll see what tomorrow brings. Based on candling at day 15, I was pretty sure I had at least one EE coming along, and one that wasn't, but it's hard to tell with the marans. They're still devoted to setting on them, but they're also probably rolling them too much, what with all the excitement going on.

Yes, my frizzle had me worried before she started laying. And, I went and named her, Rousseau (after my aunt's persian cat, who was named after the philosopher), which of course is shortened to Roo - very ironic all around.

Agreed on the handling thing - I do feel bad disturbing them to get to know the chicks, but at the same time, I think a little handling is good for all parties, including the hens, who seem to trust me with the babies pretty well. I've only removed them from the nest for a few brief moments, so everyone seems fine with it.

Any advice on when to give up on the remaining eggs?
Thanks!

 

[chooks4life]

You're welcome and it's good to hear it's coming along peacefully.

As for when to give up on the eggs, my main bit of advice there would be: not too soon! Lol, helpful, I know.

But I've had eggs hatch well before the due date, as well as after. If they don't hatch within the next three days, approximately, they're duds, but chances are the hens will leave them before then. Sometimes an egg that's the same age as the others, set at the same date, ends up hatching days later due to genetics or because it consistently wound up on the outside and not covered properly, being cooler more often.

If the hens leave the nest, let the eggs sit for a little bit (how long depends on ambient temperature), then pick them up and hold them. Any that have cooled down noticeably faster than others may be either starting to approach pipping, or dead. At that stage they will float if put in water, just like a dead egg, though they might be still viable. Any that maintain temperature well are still alive but not yet beginning to hatch. Any that go stone cold rapidly and refuse to absorb heat easily from your hands are dead. Takes a little practice but I can now, with enough experience, tell dead ones from live ones after holding them a minute or so. Also, dead ones sometimes slop back and forth within the shell if you gently move it from side to side but I wouldn't recommend that in case you hurt a living one accidentally.

Best wishes with them all.

 

[lizgarf]

Thanks, Chooks! I just started a new thread, and I would love your more detailed input.
Basically, the eggs were getting kicked all over the nest today. So, I removed each of them and candled them. I'm pretty sure two are not viable anymore (and had been doubting them for awhile) they were about 60% air cell, and the dark areas moved quickly. Of the other two, one looks still viable to me, though the air cell is pretty big and saddle shaped. I can still see some veins in the dark area. It's my only blue egg of the 4 I started with, so I really want it to hatch! The other egg I can't see into at all - it's another marans, and it's too light out for me to really check well, but I couldn't even see an air cell.
I currently have the two hopefuls on a hot pad, inside a baking dish, with a towel lightly over the top. (I gave the other two back to the broodies.) I can monitor the temperature with a cooking thermometer. I'm a bit uncertain what to do with humidity. The heating pad has a sponge insert, but I think it was making the eggs too damp - they were damp to the touch when I picked them up after they were there a few minutes - so I turned it back over. I'm trying to keep the temperature at about 99degrees. This could all be wrong, since I was not ever planning on doing something like this. Any advice would be very welcome!! I don't think they're safe in the nest anymore.
--Liz

 

[chooks4life]

If you're sure the eggs were 22 days old a day or so ago, then you shouldn't be seeing any veined areas, as it should all be filled with chick. But I can't say for sure they're dead, so best wishes with that. Seems like the best bet was indeed to move them for their own safety.

I've never artificially incubated an egg before so I don't have any advice on that, but it does sound like they were too damp. The ones you said were more than half air cell would indeed have been dead. There have been a few egg incubating threads made, so one of those might be able to help.

This link is for the Brinsea incubator site, and might have some helpful info even though you don't have a Brinsea incubator.
Quote: It just has general info on eggs and incubation.

All the best. I will try to find your new thread.

 

[lizgarf]

Thanks! The veins were just barely visible at the edge of the dark area near the air cell. It looked distinct from the other ones, which I agree are dead.
I wound up having a lot of trouble keeping the temperature consistent, so as soon as things calmed down for the evening, I put them back under their moms. And this morning, they appeared to be taking setting on them seriously. I'll keep an eye on things today and may remove them for a bit again if it gets crazy in there again - or I may move everyone to a larger area, since they seem to be outgrowing their nest area.
Thanks again,
Liz

 

[wondermom319]

So we are super new to all this so I am just sharing our experience. We have the same situation with more then one broody hen. The 3 off them seem to take turns sitting when our the main momma a silkie named betty goes out for food and water. Sometimes they will sit on the eggs together to just like your cute picture. When our first egg hatched I asked a few fb blogs I follow what I should do. Everyone said to leave the mom and baby. Well then betty left and the other girls seemed kinda confused plus like your they have more than one momma. So then everyone said to separate her and the baby so we did. Betty had a cow! So we put her back. She was pretty happy. But I kept going out checking to make sure they were ok didn't touch anyone just checking. People said not to intervene so I didn't. Checked again in the hour when I saw betty was out and other mother was sitting on the baby. Then betty went back. We saw betty do the same loving pecks to tell it to go back under and were ok. Well it made it about 9 hours before it climbed out of the nest from betty and another mother pecked it in the head and killed it. So as for the next 2 that have hatched we have left the baby with betty until it was completely dry and fluffy and put it under a heat lamp with food and water. I think every situation is different sorry about the book lol
Whitney

 

[lizgarf]

Oh, that is so sad! I'm so sorry to hear that.
Who knew this process could be so hard?
Mine don't peck the babies anymore. I just started integrating them into the rest of the coop a bit (2 other hens), and it seems to be going pretty well, though one hen did manage to get a couple pecks in. Hasn't gone for the kill yet, though, and I don't think she would. I'm hoping the two moms will protect them, but it's always hard. It's looking at this point that we'll only have 2 out of 8 eggs hatch.

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: I agree, you really do need to play it by ear/eye, and only experience, not other people, can really help you when it comes down to it. All the useful anecdotal experiences in the world may not apply to your specific circumstance.

Your paragraph wasn't 'bookish' and really, if the post is too long for some, they can simply skip it. This forum is for learning and helping and sometimes posts get long. Those who complain should have saved themselves the time and just scrolled over the offending post; just because it's not helpful to them doesn't mean it won't help someone. It's not about the 'experts', lol!
Quote: Hope not. Some of mine have caught me out before... >:[ Like the one who just ate their eyes and brains.

Another thing is that chickens can get progressively aggravated about things, becoming more and more stressed or angry, so what was seemingly fine a week ago may suddenly erupt into a full on brawl. If you see signs of increasing annoyance in any bird, it pays to assume there's a blow-up coming. Hope this isn't the case with yours, but best to be aware.

Best wishes to all.

 

[wondermom319]

We are 3 for 4 so fair betty is pretty awesome! Have your other babies hatched yet? Our last is due tomorrow but when I candled it the air pocket seems alittle bigger than the other 3. I see vains though so we shall see... how old are the others you have started to intergrade?
Whitney

 

[lizgarf]

I just got the two chicks. I started integrating a couple days ago, so I guess they were about 3 & 4 days old? I only have 2 other hens, and they've always gotten along really well, so it seems to be working out. They have plenty of space, which seems to be key in promoting chicken harmony!
Here is the first family portrait, which I am very proud of:



(anyone know of a good chicken photo contest?)