Help! Day 20 & mama chicken wont sit anymore... *** Update day 25***

[Happy Chicken Mama]

HELP... I AM GOING CRAZZY!

The moment has arived. The day has come. My husbands I-phone woke us up with the reminder that today is the day for the baby chickens to come.

Today is the day that my mama chicken had enough. She is refusing to sit anymore. This morning she got up on her own for the first time in about 8 weeks. Another almost broody hen was in her place. But now she is elswhere...

What do I do?

How long can the babies be left on day 20-21??

Do I need to get my skillet out? I dont have an incubator!

What do I do?

Help all you chiken mamas who are going crazy too... waiting for your babies to come!

Thanks!

 

[Happy Chicken Mama]

Also.. I think one of the eggs is pipping.

Maybe it got knocked!

Agughughguugughh!

 

[augiedranch]

thats not a good momma hen!! oh my gosh! i dont know what to do.... but i know my pigeon eggs only lasted four hours when the pigeon decided to get off and fly away...

keep them really warm,, do u have a heating lamp? wrap them with a cloth and keep the light on them..


why would u get a skillet out?

for the momma hen?

 

[MissPrissy]

8 weeks she has been broody? Her getting up doesn't surprise me. That is a VERY long time for her to go.

Do you have a incubator? Can you rig up a warm box to help the eggs along? Have you candled them to see if they are viable?

 

[Happy Chicken Mama]

I haven't candled them. I was unsure how much to handle them and when.

Can I do it now???

First time and all. I am a nervious wreck!

I dont have an incubator... hence the skillet. Not for cooking the mama... although...

Mayby my hardware store would have one... going to call...

 

[chickbea]

Eeee. That is a long time to be broody.
Also, it sounds like you have other hens housed with her - you may want to get them out of there so she can just concentrate on the business at hand. Many moms don't appreciate other hens hopping in and out of the nest.
If you have other broodies you can try putting the eggs under one of them, but if they are earlier in the process they likely won't be on the nest full-time.
EDIT: Once you remove the other hens, you may want to move some water right next to the nest box. Momma might be getting thirsty.

 

[Happy Chicken Mama]

If I candle them... how do I know wether they are fine???

Do I just take the eggs in one by one???

The other broody mama is back... so I am slightly releaved! I just don't want to spook her or anything. I think on of them is piping... do i take that one to candle too???

Usually I could figure all of this out but I think I have mommy brain...

Thanks for all of your help! Wow you guys are great! Go Backyard Chicken Forum!

 

[MissPrissy]

If they are pipping leave her and the eggs alone and see if she sits on them.

 

[Love my Critters!]

If the other mom is sitting, don't disturb her. IF they abandon the eggs all together, my grandmother used to put the eggs in a box. Set the oven on about 90 degrees, put a pan of water in there for humidity and put the box of eggs in there. Leave the oven door cracked open about 2 inches or so. It always worked great, especially if you do not have an incubator. You will just have to keep an eye on the eggs. Good luck.

 

[Happy Chicken Mama]

What a great idea!

I have a Wolf oven with a special bread proofing side oven. It even tells you exactly what tempature it is. It works well at low tempatures.

That puts my mind at ease that I have a solution if worse comes to worse.

The other chicken is sitting on them now. She must have known that I was desperate.

I will let them be for now and hope for the best. I feel bad for my sweet cochin that has been so diligently sitting on her nest. Now the other mama will git all of the love and the glory. Typical! Ain't life grand?

Thank you again for all of your ideas.