Momma abandoned ship, need advice badly!

[Emmasmom]

I was gone for a couple weeks, only to return and find out from my hubby that my hen, sitting on about 20 eggs for 20 days, decided to start switching to a different nest. But has apparently been going back and forth. This was about 3 days or so ago. I arrived home today and picked up the eggs only to find one that had almost completely hatched but didn't survive. I put them in my incubator,but I don't know if there is a even a chance that any have survived. I will try to candle them tonight.

My main questions are this: 1) Is there a chance they are still alive (this would be about day 24)? 2) They are really dirty. I know in general you should not clean the eggs, but these are pretty bad, would it be better to leave them alone or wipe them with a damp paper towel?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

 

[huntseat]

I'll try.

I would not clean the eggs. (But smelling for stinking eggs would be my first instinct before placing them in the incubator.)

Placing them in the incubator is likely your best bet, if some have already pip'd then raise the humidity to help with hatching.

I believe you are in the tap and listen stage. Tapping the shell can cause the chick inside to chirp, listen for it.

I'm not sure what your chances are at this point but there must have been a reason for her to swap nests. Have you checked for ants or other bugs in the bedding?

Good luck.

I'm hoping that others with much more experience than I will chime in soon.

 

[sourland]

Trying to hatch them is worth a try - at this point in the game, I would not bother cleaning them. I'm not overly optimistic, but good luck.

 

[annanimal]

Hmm, the eggs could hatch but I wouldn't count on it... The eggs probably got chilled and died or shrink wrapped if she was gone from the nest for a long time. I would still put them in the incubator, you never know... Don't clean the eggs, at this point it won't help, if the bacteria has already entered threw the pours of the egg than the damage has been done, cleaning them would just push more dirt deeper. Good luck!

 

[Emmasmom]

Thank you guys for your advice! We'll see if anything hatches.

So sad the one died - it looked healthy. I did not notice any bugs per se, but there is a rat snake that lives nearby, maybe he paid a visit.

 

[sourland]

Sometimes a hen just becomes confused and returns to a different nest - especially when nest boxes are in close proximity to one another. Let us know how things work out.

 

[huntseat]

Thank you guys for your advice! We'll see if anything hatches.

So sad the one died - it looked healthy. I did not notice any bugs per se, but there is a rat snake that lives nearby, maybe he paid a visit.

Keep us posted.

 

[Emmasmom]

Well one egg exploded green gunk everywhere - ugh, so gross!!! I candled the rest and threw away some that were not fertile. The others, I cannot tell if possibly viable or not. There is a pretty nice air pocket at the end, but no sign of movement per se. Any way to tell if it is viable versus one that is headed toward explosion? I would rather not have to deal with that again. Oh also, clumsy me , I dropped on on the table and broke a chunk of shell - but the inner membrane seems intact - will it be ok to place the egg inside and see if it can survive? Thanks in advance!

 

[ladylynch]

Wrap a moist paper towel around the crack place and put it back in the bator. Good luck. We r here if u need us

 

[Emmasmom]

Decided to go ahead and open the eggs today - they were stinky and appeared liquid-y and different from my earlier successful hatch. Sad to say that most of the eggs were filled with goo, 2 of them did contain what appeared to be fully formed chicks but dead, there was no movement (at least I hope I didn't kill them) - this was day 27. Would they be moving if I opened them while alive? Everything appeared liquified around them, no blood. Thank you all for your help.