Late hatching

[Sezbo]

I would really appreciate any help with my recent hatchings please. We have five pet Pekin bantams and were given a clutch of fertilised eggs to put under broodies. Unfortunately at day 18 one of my broody hens died whilst on the eggs, the reason I now I think is a massive red mite infestation which I discovered when I went to move the eggs into a separate house. We have taken down the hen house and treated with red mite powder. One of the other broody hens then abandoned the eggs in the next night so I ended up putting 23 eggs under the remaining hen. Amazingly she has managed to hatch 17 of these and all chicks are healthy. I removed six eggs which had not hatched but two were beginning to hatch so I left them. The first chicks hatched on day 21 and today is day 26 and there is a newly hatched chick and one egg which still has a live check inside although it is not moving much and has made a small 1cm metre hole which hasn’t grown in several hours. The one that has hatched was doing quite well this morning but as the mother hen is now moving around with her other chicks teaching them to eat, this one keeps being left behind and is shaking and looking unwell. I have removed both this chick and the egg which is still hatching and put them on a hot water bottle to try and warm them up. Please could anyone advise what I should do with these two? I do not have a heat lamp.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think you're doing all you can. What are you planning to do with them though if you don't have a heat lamp?

 

[Sezbo]

Thanks for your reply I’m was wondering if I could keep them warm with a hot water bottle or in the bottom of the airing cupboard until they are a bit stronger then pop them back under the hen in the nighttime. I think if I try to put them back now she will keep leaving them and the chick will not survive. The chick already seems a little revived just being on the hot water bottle and is taking some crumb so I think it did need the heat. I’m just wondering what it’s chances are being hatched so much later?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Odds are she won't accept them. She knows she had so many chicks and then suddenly there's two more under her. Is she confined if is she free ranging with everyone?

 

[Sezbo]

She’s confined to a large cage 5t wide within a standard shed which I could i will give her the run of. She’s not with the rest of the flock. I didn’t expect so many to hatch and put them all under as a last resort.
I just hoped if these two grew a bit they might catch up.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You can try then if she's by herself at bight. I had an egg I just always put under my hen the last day when he hatched fine and was accepted. Granted she wasn't a very active hen