Mama hen killed 2 hatched chicks....ive took the other eggs from her....need help

[Charly2018]

Hi guys...I had 2 Brahma hens go broody they do every year I tried everything to snap them out of it this year but have up. We decided to try hatch some chicks under her. We got 6 orpington eggs and all was going brilliantly. Our 21 day was up on the 28/6/20 but totally surprised on 26/6 when checking them I found a dead chick that had hatched and been thrown out the nest. I assumed it had been stood on. I checked all the eggs the rest were all fine. My son literally an hour later said there was a baby chick on the floor outside the run breathing. I ran down and another one had clearly hatched. I tried to re-introduce it to the hens but they went wild when it chipped. I took it away under a heat lamp and it died.
Sorry I will get to my dilemma...I decided to take the rest of the eggs away as when i looked another 2 had pipped. I didnt feel they were safe with the broody
..however I dont have an incubator. I have a heat tray and have out them under this with a wet sponge in the corner. One of them has hatched today...very cute btw but the other two 15 hrs later have still not zipped. Shall I leave them or have I lost them as they arent in a proper incubator. I have checked them and they are still moving and chirping in response to the hatched chick but no more progress. I really feel like I've let them down especially having the bury the other two with the kids yesterday ....

 

[nchls school]

The temperature needs to be between 100-102 F. humidity needs to be around 60%. If the membrane over the chick (not the shell membrane) is milky white and full of blood it is too soon for the chicks to hatch. If the membrane is more transluscent and bloodless or nearly so, break away the rounded end of the egg shell and remove the membrane sliding the edges beck over the remaining shell as much as possible so the membrane edges do not dry to the chick preventing it from hatching. Leave the back of the shell intact as it is important that the chick exit the shell on its own.

Good luck.

 

[pozees2]

If you have a way to enclose or minimize drafts around the sides of what you've set up so the heat and moisture are retained it may help. If they are under a heat plate it probably isn't warm enough for hatching, but you can check if it's at least close if you have a thermometer you can put under there with the eggs.

 

[Charly2018]

Thank you for your replies...I did manage to plug the gaps with kitchen roll and put a towel over the box to keep it warm and temp did say it was right which is why I was edging my best but was totally worried about the humidity!!
It totally worked as I've woke up this morning and these little beauties have come to say good morning so cute!!!
I've never known anything so stressful!!!