Musk Hen Hatched 5 then left the other 5 eggs HELP!!

[remadl700]

We thought she would go back and hatch the rest but she doesn't seem to want to. We have another hen setting on eggs but they are 5-10 days out.

What should we do?

 

[Bleenie]

If they are that close to hatching you can take them away and put them under the other hen and remove them when they hatch or move them inside to an incubator or under a desk lamp and mist them a few times a day with warm water. We had to hatch a lot of babies this way when we had Muscovies in the past, mommas with HUGE clutches would hatch 20 and leave 10 more in the nest

If you take them right out to momma after they dry she MIGHT take them, but she also may reject them.

Good luck and I hope they make it!

 

[remadl700]

Thanks.

Will perform a covert OP tonight and insert the eggs under the sitting hen and cross our fingers.

One other question:
I saw her (The one that hatched the 5 ducklings) carry an egg out to the pond we made for them and crack it and eat it. I have never seen this before and it was quite a hike from here nest to the pond. I followed her when she did this hanging back a bit so as not to disturb her. She kept it in her mouth until she was in the pond then ate it. The egg looked unfertilized and did not smell when it was cracked. - SO....is this a typical trait or should I be worried about this behavior?