More help please.....

[BeckyBoo]

...ok so we've currently got a bird who was sitting on four eggs but ate one early on. She had three left, and after 22 days one made substantial hole in the egg whilst I was at work but I came home to find it dead in the shell (took it out - couldn't find anything wrong with it but there you go

) Anyway, so that leaves two. Last night one had made a small hole in the shell and was cheeping and visibly moving - this morning some 12 hours later it's still cheeping and moving but there's no change in the size of the hole in the shell. The other egg has no signs of life (I didn't candle any of them so I don't know if it's viable or not)
We've used another broody before and everything went like clockwork. This is this hens first go and at this rate she'll be lucky to hatch one chick. She seems to be keeping the m warm enough but would it help if I gently wiped the egg with a damp cloth at all, kind of upping the humidity?
And if she does end up with just one, would it be worth me getting a couple of day old chicks so it doesn't end up on it's own or would she be likely to have a go at them?

BeckyBoo

 

[Roosterfry]

Wiping the egg with a warm wet rag couldn't hurt anything as long as its got a clear airway through it's beak to breath, don't add any new chicks to the mother she will view them as intruders and peck their brains out... If your egg are 21 days along and has been piping for more than 24 hrs you can try to take it and gently chip away at the shell carefully to see if you can get it out just don't try to pull it out in big pieces just small little 1 or 2 tenth s of an inch at a time, then slowly peal off the membrane. Um.. But be prepared to euthenize a chick to keep it from suffering because it may have a serious issue, like a leg problem or undisolved yolk.

 

[pgpoultry]

Sometimes broody hens do have poor hatches and this is particularly common the first time. Sometimes chicks do take a long time to hatch. if this little one gets out successfully, i would try to add a few day old chicks, but you have to be prepared to take them out quickly and place them in a brooder if she doesn't take to them. If you intend to add chicks, do so at night, when dark and she is sleeping. Quickly (by torchlight) add the chicks by lifting her wing(s) and placing them under. hang around to check that she and they are accepting the situation.

I have done this with hens several times and it has always worked, but I have never done this with a first timer.

 

[Roosterfry]

Quote:
I have as well tried adding a chick exactly the way you described it, I came to check on it early in the a.m. And she already killed it by pecking its brains out (literally) just saying...

 

[BeckyBoo]

Hmmmm, thanks guys. We have a chick

our little aracauna hatched during the day today, still damp but looks ok. No sign of anything from the cream legbar, not sure wether to risk adding a day old, don't want to inflict death on a day old just for the sake of it. Think what I'll have to do is stick with the one, then when Mum has had enough and abandons it I'll get it a friend or two then (just an excuse to get more hens!!!

) and by THAT time I should be able to pick out girls from boys at the breeders - might accidentally slip a brahma in there....

BeckyBoo

 

[Roosterfry]

glad your chick turned out ok!

 

[Stingrayg4]

Quote:
I have as well tried adding a chick exactly the way you described it, I came to check on it early in the a.m. And she already killed it by pecking its brains out (literally) just saying...

About a month ago I gave five three day old chicks to first time broody who had just hatched four of her own. I did it in broad daylight in the middle of the day. She took them with only a few seconds hesitation. One of the four that she hatched died of unknown causes a week or so later, but the five I gave her are still alive and well. I think success here depends entirely on the temperament of the hen.

-S