Immediate crisis, abandoned egg, please help

[Ginagallina]

In your experience, do the moms then take in the chick once you hatch it out?

Both my sisters buy their chicks and sneak them under a broody hen while she’s sleeping at night, replacing the eggs she was sitting on. They have never had them reject them before. Day time is a different story.

 

[blackandtan]

Such a great story, and a perfect ending! Thanks for sharing!

 

[jspeese]

Heating pad with a damp towel sounds like it would work to me. But sometimes a chick that doesn't hatch at the same time/within the same time frame of its siblings may be weak, so be prepared. But not always. I once had a Rouen duck leave her nest with all of her ducklings in tow after a pretty good hatch. There were maybe 2 eggs left that didn't hatch, which I tossed in the compost pile. Later that day or maybe the next day, I don't recall, there was a healthy little duckling running around on the compost pile!

 

[jspeese]

I have heard of folks doing that, ValerieJ. I have two blue Cochin hens but no rooster, so no fertile eggs. When I decide to start new chicks, I might try it myself if they go broody. Between our local feed store and Tractor Supply, chicks are available most of the spring-summer-early fall. That way I know I'll wind up with hens and not a lot of unwanted cockerels. But in order for that to work, I think that you usually have to let the hen set (maybe on fake eggs) for a while. Hens can't tell time exactly, which is why they can hatch foster duck eggs (4 versus 3 weeks) but they do know roughly by instinct how long a hatch takes. Also, you definitely want to be prepared to raise the chicks yourself in case it doesn't work.

 

[admill37262]

I'm having the same issue right now

 

[rlhagan56]

I just spent my morning reading this, such a wonderful story!

 

[as110]

If you sneak the chick under the hen at night, stay there for a while to make sure the hen does not reject it. I tried it once but my hen did not accept the chick. It was the saddest thing to watch that chick try to get back looking for safety and the mother didn't take it and tried to hurt it. I had to hand raise it which didn't work out too well either because it was a rooster. When it was mature he attacked everyone in sight and drew blood. We had to get rid of him because it became too dangerous to go in there to feed them. This is the egg I hatched on my chest. :0(

 

[ValerieJ]

If you sneak the chick under the hen at night, stay there for a while to make sure the hen does not reject it. I tried it once but my hen did not accept the chick. It was the saddest thing to watch that chick try to get back looking for safety and the mother didn't take it and tried to hurt it. I had to hand raise it which didn't work out too well either because it was a rooster. When it was mature he attacked everyone in sight and drew blood. We had to get rid of him because it became too dangerous to go in there to feed them. This is the egg I hatched on my chest. :0(

That is so sad.

 

[Dona Worry]

If you sneak the chick under the hen at night, stay there for a while to make sure the hen does not reject it. I tried it once but my hen did not accept the chick. It was the saddest thing to watch that chick try to get back looking for safety and the mother didn't take it and tried to hurt it. I had to hand raise it which didn't work out too well either because it was a rooster. When it was mature he attacked everyone in sight and drew blood. We had to get rid of him because it became too dangerous to go in there to feed them. This is the egg I hatched on my chest. :0(

I didn't do any sneaking, just handed the purchased chicks and Cookie over in broad daylight. Sarah Jane is an exceptionally calm and docile hen, however. There was not much doubt in my mind that she would be unfussed by the whole thing.

 

[microchick]

Just sitting here getting caught up on Cookie's saga. Great work, @donaworry! You did a fantastic job. Make sure that sweet little buff orpington hen gets a little something extra in her treat bowl. She's got herself quite a brood to look after.