HELP?

[ambz]

I have 4 frizzle chickens and 1 rooster, and one of my hen went broody, she sat on 6 eggs 21 days but the chicks did not fully form, this has now happened 3 times, all with the same results, some eggs didn't form at all and other only half formed, I'm not sure what's going wrong? I assumed the first time being her first time going broody that she just wasn't experienced enough, I did candle the last batch of 6 eggs and all looked fertile, any suggestions would be really helpful

 

[cavemanrich]

Maybe the frizzled chicken was not able to cover the eggs sufficiently with her body to keep them warm. If you still want baby chicks, then consider a small incubator. Once the chicks hatch, then place them under your broody hen, and she will raise them. You do need to have eggs under the hen so she thinks the new arrivals are her hatch. Another option would be to have her sit on only 2 or 3 eggs. I think that would make a difference in the amount of heat she can transfer to the eggs.

WISHING YOU BEST and

 

[donrae]

Are you setting all the eggs under her at the same time, or just letting them collect day by day? If the latter, you're going to have different stages of development, as you're describing.

Once you've confirmed she's broody (for me, that's spending at least 2 nights in a row on the nest), mark the eggs you want her to hatch and put them under her. I'd give her 4 (is she a bantam?). 21 days is average, you might have a day sooner or later. You can candle at days 7 and 14 if you like, so see how things are going.

If you do this and still don't have development, I'm thinking you have some fertility or other health issues with your birds. If you want chicks, maybe try getting eggs from someone else to hatch. Or, let her brood decoy eggs for about 3 weeks, and slip chicks under her.

 

[ambz]

If I did go an incubator what is good one? I do have some dummy eggs already, As I would definitely love some chicks for my girls,
i normally set the eggs under her all together, I have been storing them in an egg carton, in a cupboard, with the big the up and the pointy end down, I don't keep their "fertile eggs" any longer than 10 day, wasn't sure if I could store them longer? I will definitely try 4 this time around and see if I have a different outcome, thanks I will let u know if I get some baby chicks

 

[cavemanrich]

You can get an entry level small number capacity for about $20 The larger the capacity , the higher the price. If this one that can handle 7 eggs Looks good enough, then It is worth a try.. I randomly found this one on E Bay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Automatic-D...hash=item1c7d8cd339:m:mKvvZI73uvTy0vOc82f3FWw

 

[ambz]

Thanks I will look into that