Hen went broody so I gave it a shot...now worried...PLEASE HELP!

[KelliR]

I know there are a gazillion threads on this but I can't find a current one. Long story short....I have a broody BSL who was sitting on non fertile eggs due to the fact that we do not have a rooster. I wanted to give her a shot at raising her own so I got some eggs from a friend with a rooster. I put 4 eggs under her and all looked clear at day 5 with one looking "odd"....day 7 and my "odd" egg was looking odder but these are dark eggs and I didn't know what to look for other than what I saw on the internet. Worried that nothing much was happening my friend brought me 5 more eggs and I put them under her at day 7. Day 10 rolled around and I have a moving embryo.....EXCITEMENT..until I realized that she would abandon the new eggs before they could hatch. I candled everyone last night....day 15 for my "odd yet alive" egg and day 8 for the others....well..I have a clearly dancing baby in one of the later placed eggs. What do I do? Do I let her hatch the one due next week and then hope she stays on the other one? Do I let her hatch next week and move the later one to a bator? If I do that will she accept it? I seriously have a headache from worrying over this.

On top of that my odd egg seems to have an air sac that leans more to the side on the blunt end than in the center...I am worried my odd little chick won't pip in the right place.

On top of THAT...I have 2 11 week old BR pullets in a separate pen waiting to move in with everyone else.

I wanted to own chickens so I bout my 3 BSLs at 14 weeks a year ago, then I wanted to experience raising chicks...so I bought the 2 BRs...now I want to experience my hen hatching her own. Does the passion ever stop?

Thanks!

 

[KelliR]

Please someone?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

If no one has an incubator to hatch the oldest egg in, all I can suggest is to try to snatch the chick away as soon as it hatches and hopefully mama will stay on the eggs. She may abandon them either way after a couple of days, though, so be prepared.

 

[KelliR]

Can i let the first egg hatch and put the 2nd in an incubator? Then sneak that chick in once it hatches? I'd like for her to brood both if possible, provided they both hatch.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

You can try, though ten days is a long time to try to add a second chick. It would be different if she had a whole bunch because its not like she can count. Plus by ten days they will be all over the place and the new chick likely will not be able to stay caught up with mom and its older sibling. I have run into that issue as well. Mom is not going to sit and cuddle new chick for a few days like it needs.

 

[KelliR]

it's only 7 days behind......but I guess you are right...what to do what to do? Would be best to remove the first lil one to a brooder after hatching and then reintroduce him to her after the 2nd egg hatches? Provided they both hatch.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

That's what I would do.