I think I've lost one :-( please help!

[bcoates]

That 3 diff eggs an not too sure what day I'm thinking 22 they are mallards an 2 I see no moving but the other one with the hug vein I see a little

 

[EmmaJane88]

I second the advice- if it doesn't smell funky leave it in. I know you just wanna know- I do too. But I guess we'll have to wait til hatch day... Is it 28 for mallards? Xxx

 

[EmmaJane88]

I second the advice- if it doesn't smell funky leave it in. I know you just wanna know- I do too. But I guess we'll have to wait til hatch day... Is it 28 for mallards? Xxx

 

[EmmaJane88]

I second the advice- if it doesn't smell funky leave it in. I know you just wanna know- I do too. But I guess we'll have to wait til hatch day... Is it 28 for mallards? Xxx

 

[bcoates]

Yes 28, an yes I'm very curious thanks for the advice fingers crossed they'll make it an for the original posters eggling

 

[EmmaJane88]

It's so frustrating I know. I'm convinced something will go wrong and ill lose the lot. Fingers crossed for yours too xxx

 

[bugglesmommy]

One quitter is in no way an indicator of a bad hatch. Some losses are normal and it doesn't always indicate a hatch wide issue. So long as you follow hatch protocol and don't let stress and fear drive you to making rash mistakes like premature assisting, they should be fine. Are your eggs shipped or local?

 

[bcoates]

Mine were local

 

[EmmaJane88]

They're mine. There's a bit of a backstory to them actually. Silkies are hard to come by in the UK and by chance we stumbled across 3 pullets when picking up an eglu second hand. I'd been searching for months and couldn't believe our luck! I'm not allowed chickens where I live so they live with my mums 4 regulars in a separate coop.

Then that night we got an egg. As they'd been with roos I checked with the original owner who said there's a chance the eggs could be fertile. And my mum who's a teacher like me HAPPENED to have a Brinsea 20 at her school AND a brooder taking up space. So after a lot of convincing mum agreed to bring the incy home. We originally set 11, in two batches. 6 and then 5 staggered (I then bought my own incy for batch #2.)

2/6 from batch 1 were clear and all but 1 from batch 2 were clear. Fertility had obviously dried up.

So then I had 4 and 1. Now I have 3 and 1 :-(. I'm a teacher too so have had my kids hanging onto every development. They will be gutted (as will I!) if they don't hatch. And I can't run out and buy silkie chicks as there aren't any local. Plus we really wanted our girls to be the mums... Soppy I know.

We were hoping one of the girls would go broody to make for easier integration. Waited and waited. After I candled my probable quitter today I went out to feed them. Mollie my black silkie was still in the nest, 4hrs from when I thought she was laying an egg. Mum confirmed she was still there at bed time.

Talk about awkward timing!!!

If I get a hatch what do you suggest? If I slip them under Mollie she nay not accept them after only 5 days of sitting. And then I have the problem of our lone egg from batch 2. OR do I put the one from batch 2 under her? That would be 10 days of sitting and means the bigger chicks are less likely to bully the single little one.

I know I'm counting my chickens before they hatch but I like to be prepared!! Xxx

 

[bugglesmommy]

That's good. Local eggs hatch way better then shipped eggs. I get eggs shipped all of the time but get a lot of losses that way.