HELP!!!

[HeyLittleHen]

Hello,

My broody hen must have stepped on one of her eggs and it was cracked open on day 16. When I looked in the nest, the chick was wriggling. I have put the poor thing in the incubator - has it got any chance of survival out of the egg at this stage?

 

[lightchick]

I wait and see. Poor baby. How big is the crack?

 

[HeyLittleHen]

The egg was virtually in two halves. The chick is totally out of the egg now and moving a little every now and then.

 

[annanimal]

Are you sure it was day 16? Some chicks just hatch early, I don't think she stepped on it, the chick would be crushed. Is it dry and fluffy? Check the shell, is there any goop or blood? If not the chick is probably just early, where were you storing the eggs before placing them under her?

 

[HeyLittleHen]

Thanks for the replies. There was blood and a whole yolk. The chick has died sadly. She is still sitting on 10 so let's hope the rest are successful. I feel very guilty even though I couldn't have done much differently!

 

[annanimal]

I'm so sorry to hear that...