HELP, I think they're all dead...

[Skip]

My hen, Mama Goldfeathers, has been setting on eggs for about 21 days now, and I checked and none of them have pipped. During the broody process, I had a problem with other hens adding eggs to her nest, so I draped some cloth over the front of the nestbox to keep them out. Turns out, it kept Mama in too, and once she went out to eat, she couldn't find her way back in. This happened three times before I figured it out. I know, I deserve a

. These times she got off the nest, she spent about 4-6 hours off at a time. Did I just kill all my babies?

 

[jvls1942]

probably not.. just leave it up to the chicken.. generally a hen will not keep sitting on bad eggs.. so there must be a good one in there.. with all the trouble you had, they might just be hatching a little later..

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Can you pen in that next box with an area for the broody to get out to eat and defecate?
You need to keep the other hens away or they may kill the chicks if and when they hatch.

 

[jvls1942]

do not overburden yourself with a lot of things that "could happen".. just let the cluck do her thing.. there are not very many chickens that will go up against a cluck with her chicks..
even roosters stay away..

 

[suebee]

Hopefully they will still hatch. One broody hatch took 25 days. Normally the last 24 hours Momma stays on the eggs. Good luck.

BTW, weak mother hens have a harder time protecting her chicks. If other hens have the opportunity, they will try and kill the chicks.

 

[Skip]

Thank you everybody... I feel a lot better now.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
You make it sound as if the the hens are just waiting to kill the chicks.. I have had hundreds of clucks hatch out their own eggs over the past 40 years and I have never had a chicken kill another"s chicks..

 

[suebee]

Quote:
You make it sound as if the the hens are just waiting to kill the chicks.. I have had hundreds of clucks hatch out their own eggs over the past 40 years and I have never had a chicken kill another"s chicks..

I'm not going to get into a "I'm right, you're wrong" argument so I'll just say I'm very happy for you.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
You make it sound as if the the hens are just waiting to kill the chicks.. I have had hundreds of clucks hatch out their own eggs over the past 40 years and I have never had a chicken kill another"s chicks..

I'm not going to get into a "I'm right, you're wrong" argument so I'll just say I'm very happy for you.

thank you,, it takes a big person to admit when they are wrong..

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Ahemmmm... Getting back to the topic posted by the OP.


Quote:
We all learn from our mistakes. I'm sorry you feel bad. Did you think of this:

Mark the eggs she layed and is trying to hatch and collect all without a mark daily?

smile - at least you're learing from your mistakes and teaching others in the process. Who knows how many baby chicks you just saved by posting this???!!!!

BTW - heard tell of eggs not hatching for more than 21 days - hopefully you are going to be one of those suprise success stories.