Help! Hen hatched one chick and left nest

[LedgeWoods]

Eggs are still warm - do I take them & put them in incubator or will she sit yet??

 

[Pork Pie]

Eggs are still warm - do I take them & put them in incubator or will she sit yet??

I'd put them in the incubator

 

[WannabeFarmer5]

Eggs are still warm - do I take them & put them in incubator or will she sit yet??

Our hen hatched 3 chicks took them and left the nest. We didn't have an incubator so we put them under the chick lamp. Sadly only one hatched so we went to the hatchery and picked 2 more.

Good luck!!!!

 

[MommaHen2Many]

I'd put them in the incubator

me too

 

[MommaHen2Many]

oh, if you dont have an incubator...try to substitute.. not just heat, (needs to be about 95 degrees) but humidity-bowl of water next to the eggs that will be hatching (humidity is 75%). A plastic bin with the lid almost completely closed, leave a crack for air circulation & to allow a lamp or something to be the heat source...not sure if an electric heating pad under it would get the temp up high enough. At this point---the hen has left..anything is bonus! and your doing the best you can with what you have. Vicki

 

[LedgeWoods]

I brought them in the house to the incubator & just candled them. 1 wasn't even viable, the other 2 look developed, but no movement. I'll keep them in the bator for the day and do a water test tonight. It amazes me how the hens just know when it's time to leave the nest! Out of my India Blues with a very slight pied factor (2 white feathers on one wing) I have 2 all white chicks this season! 1st time in 3 years they did this. Thank you everyone for the quick responses - I knew I asked the right bunch

 

[MommaHen2Many]

I was going to ask about candling...at least that eliminated the "waiting" on one that wont hatch...right! Glad you have an incubator.

 

[LedgeWoods]

After doing a water test that night, it appeared there was no movement in the 2 eggs. I opened them yesterday and found fully developed chicks that appeared normal. A bit of a yolk sack yet and no pipping through membrane. I wonder if I would've found her off the nest sooner I maybe could've hatched them in the incubator? This hen had a clutch of 10 eggs last year and only hatched 2. Trying to figure out if the hen is smart & knows the other eggs wont hatch or dumb in respects to leaving the other eggs after the first 1-2 hatch!

 

[KsKingBee]

Sounds like they chilled after she left the nest. Yes, had you been sooner and put them in the incubator they may have hatched.