Murderous broody - what to do now - Update

[Mysterybirds]

This is going to be a very short post - trust me, it could be pages. My JG has brought her eggs to 21 days, we just had one hatch and she promtly tried to kill it. At least I assume that is what she was doing (pecking very hard at it). It may be there is something wrong with the chick. It was a very very slow hatch. I'm not sure what to do now. I have four other eggs, one of which has started as well, and no accessories for hatching them ourselves.

Is there something I can throw together quickly to keep them alive until they hatch? I'm assuming I shouldn't leave her in there. It's 85 degrees currently and I have no idea about the humidity.

Please tell me there's something I can do for them.

Thanks

 

[ozark hen]

I am assuming you do not have an incubator? So, get a styrofoam cooler, put a light over it, a 60 wt. will do fine in this weather. Also I would put a wet sponge inside the cooler...a very wet sponge and a thermometer to double check the temp. Put the eggs in there on some paper towels. Make sure the light is hanging over the top of the cooler and check the temp. You just might be able to hatch with this "emergency" 'bator at this stage of the hatching. Keep us posted and good luck!!

 

[kellim]

I agree with ozark hen. As a matter of fact I had a guinea egg that hatched and there was no momma on it for 3 days before it hatched. The heat outside and the fact that she had it partially buried in damp leaves took it through those last 3 days. I am all for the cooler and heat lamp with damp sponge!!! Good luck!!!

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Good luck Mysterybirds! We'll keep our fingers crossed for the eggs to hatch.

 

[Mysterybirds]

Thank you all! I'll let you know how it goes. This summer has been like a disaster movie when it comes to broody hens.

 

[Mysterybirds]

As of this morning I have two live little ones - the one that was attacked by mama and one that hatched last night. The other one is full of itself, runs around and jumps on me had when I reached in to take shell debris out. The other is still recovering but is the greatest chocolate color. They are total mutts - moms could be RIR, JG (black or white), Austerlorp, RSL, or Wyandotte (white). Dad is a BYC special, thanks to Buff Hooligans. Somewhere there is a picture of him here, I think from last October or so.

I have a followup question. I let the mom continue to sit on the unpiped eggs, figuring that I could take them from her as necessary. Should I assume that she is not safe for the hatched ones and no try to sneak them under her at night? She's in quite a state about hearing peeps and not seeing anything. As I mentioned, there's a long story of disaster here and this is the second set of eggs she's sat on this summer. She's my favorite hen and I have visions of her becoming permanently derranged if I yank her off and back with the others now.

Thanks for the help.

 

[ozark hen]

From her past performance I would not trust her...............but..................you could go put one under her and stay there and see how she treats it...stay there awhile...if she softly clucks to it and seems to be snuggling it under her than maybe she will be ok? I would personally raise them in a brooder, they don't need her now anyway and these will be pretty tame chickens when they grown up if you continue to handle them daily.