Longest incubation period under a broody chicken

[chantels1]

I have the world's dumbest broody...

Story below, but first I must ask what was the longest late hatch? We are on day 24 and baby is Alice!

4 times she has gone broody in the past 7 months. First time she would not sit on eggs. She just zones out in the dirt for weeks. I tried to give her eggs. Wouldn't take them. Pushed them out.

The next time she wasn't great at sitting, but I didn't care cuz they were not fertile. I slipped a couple of chicks under her and she was happy. I separated her and babies from the flock.


The 3rd time, again, infertile eggs. So I gave her 4 chicks. I left her in the nest box. When she brought the babies out, she wasn't protective enough, so I had to separate her and babies from the flock. They survived.

Batch #4. Finally fertile eggs. We plucked roosters fluff a bit. She had 6 eggs under her. I would check on her 1x2 times per day. Many times I found her only sitting on a few eggs. The outcasts were cold, so I put them in the incubator. They were all alive at the point of moving them. She eventually got comfortable sitting in 2 eggs. 4 in bator. . One egg she's sitting on quit early or was infertile. So one viable egg under her.

She started sitting April 1st. Hatch day should have been April 21-22.

This morning I go to check, she's sitting on the infertile egg. She cast away the good egg. It was still slightly warm, so I put it back under her.

Candled it later when she got off the nest and miraculously it is Alice! Day 24! No internal pip. Just movement.

The 4 in the incubator didn't make it. My old incubator would not keep consistent temps.

Anyways, it's a long shot for this egg... But I am hoping!

 

[cavemanrich]

Hope it hatches out successfully for you..
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[chantels1]

Alice!!! . I should not type at bed time! Thanks autocorrect. Being Alice is always better than being alive...

 

[cavemanrich]

I just took ALICE, as you already naming your baby.
It is a girls name for hen. Should it be a rooster, your option is simple,,, ALEX.
I know the frustration with autocorrect. It can be turned off on Androids. I often do insert words or phrases in different languages. Autocorrect always sniffs those out and messes with my message. I always have to re-read my messages. Some turn funny or mildly insulting.

 

[chantels1]

Well.... I checked on the egg at 3 today. It was alive and moving. Got home at 7:30 checked on hen. She wasn't sitting in it.. It was cool to the touch (about 78 degrees outside). Shone a light in it. It had internally pipped, but didn't appear to be moving. I put it under her to hope for the best. #stupidhen!

 

[chantels1]

I was so sad, but hoped warming would help it. So I left it under Mom for a while, then checked it again. It's alive!!!!!! Please cross your fingers! We are on day 25 now! Internally pipped, and got cold, but is still fighting to live. Please make it little baby!

 

[chantels1]

Morning update. I looked out the window. Mom was in coop eating. I ran outside to check on the egg. It was still warm, but no external pip.

I took egg inside to candle. Baby is still alive. Looking pretty shrink-wrapped as air cell is 1/2 of the egg. I decided to intervene. I made a pip, pulled enough she'll away to see inner membrane, moistened with bacitracin and out her in the already warm bator. Fortunately my little bator us easy to raise humidity. So her Momma is just gonna sit in nothing until she hatches. I have yet to hear a chirp. So I know she's pretty week. its day 26! Mom started sitting Easter Sunday! I don't know how she has managed to survive all of this. Day 26!!!

Keep crossing your fingers for little Alice!

 

[chantels1]

I would say another hen probably laid it in the nest after she started sitting but I counted eggs. We only have 2 layers right now. And the chick is white. Our room is blue and the other hen is blue cream and lays darker eggs.

Still no chirping though she is breathing. Letting her rest in incubator.

 

[chantels1]

9:45 an update. No change. I have not opened the incubator, but can see chick is breathing. No chirping. Although it is day 26, I am surprised there is still a large vein on the inner membrane. See pic. I won't attempt to further assist unless this shrinks AND I feel it's absolutely necessary. I am amazed at the delay in hatching. Even if she's a dumb broody, I wouldn't think development would he this delayed for cool temps. Either way it's day 26, but the chick and egg do appear to be day 21-22... The extra large air cell (due to chick having internally pipped more than 15 hrs before I intervened was what concerned me. Didn't want it suffocating. I also knew it would be weak due to Dumb Broody looking at her egg instead if sitting on it. It's as if she said, "oh it makes noise... What is it?". She doesn't have the instinct to tuck the eggs under her. She stares at them like they are rocks!. Anyways, you can see the vein I am waiting to receed.

 

[chantels1]

Final update. I helped it hatch. It rested a long time. I finally gave it sugar water and it perked up. Decided to put it under dumb broody as she has raised foster chicks in the past. Woke up to find little Alice got squished in the night. .

I put dumb broody in a separate pen today to break her broodiness. Going to sell her so we don't have to continue going through this.

I have 7 eggs in the incubator. From a different pullet. Due in 7 days. I will be brooding them. Not risking them getting squished.