Mama abandoned last egg on day 23 but it's still viable

[DandyMandy]

I have a mama hen that has just hatched her first eggs... I only let her sit on 3 this time. The firat hatched right on time on Saturday, the 2nd hatched on Sunday, and the third egg hasn't pipped yet but I can hear it chirping in the egg and see it rolling around... The problem is that ever since the second chick hatched and started moving around, mama doesn't seem to care about this last egg. She has been off of it most of the day now and I'm sad to think it won't make it after it's come this far... Is there anything I can do?

 

[SkyBlueEmu]

I would recommend placing the egg in an incubator if you have one and set it up like you would do during lockdown. You need to at least keep the egg warm with a heat lamp or light if you don't have an incubator. If you don't have a bator, place the egg in a box with a heat source a some damp towels nearby to keep the humidity up. It may hatch it you get the egg warmed up again.keep the temp around 99 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit

 

[lazy gardener]

99.5*. Too much heat will kill it. If you can keep it warm till tonight, you may be able to set it under her for the night. My big concern is this: were all these eggs set at the same time? Usually, but not always, late hatching chicks have "issues". You may need to do an "assisted hatch". Please read the article by that title. Never assist, unless you are completely convinced that to do nothing will doom the chick to certain death. If you do assist, proceed slowly, and with caution, and assist only as much as needed to get the chick going. Often, all that is needed is to open an air hole, or enlarge a pip. Sometimes the chick is malpositioned, and only skilled intervention will save her life.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I had this happen last month.

If the chick is chirping, she'll likely hatch just fine. This is based on only one experience hatching out eggs, though. And I live in a hot climate.

But within a day she'll fully hatch, dry out on her own and fluffy up nice and cute. Once she's fluffed and recovered from all that effort, bring in mama with the other chicks.

The incubator or a heat source could be too much at this point. I had a sad experience attempting to do just that. The chick was fine in the shell under a Brinsea warmer, but once she hatched out, the warmer was too warm and she didn't survive.

And yet I raised my flock with that same warmer last year. So I think it's best to be careful with the heat, unless you're in a cooler climate.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Also, if you chip at the eggshell yourself, you could tear the lining. The yolk may not have been fully absorbed yet, and the blood vessels in the soft lining inside the shell could start bleeding. When they start pipping, it doesn't mean they're ready to come out yet.

I'd leave her alone. Sadly, this too is from my own experience.