MyStErY ChIcK -Is it hot enough to hatch an egg?

[Msbear]

I have four broodies right now. Coop #1 has two cochin mommas sharing a nest with 8 or so cochin eggs. They shared a clutch earlier this year and did great. I had some in the incubator ready to go to so, when they hatched, I tossed another 8 babies their way. Coop #2 has one cochin momma in there with 5 eggs I sat the same day. I threw a couple more her way from the bator as well. Coop #3 is a rosecomb girl on 5 eggs. Hers hatched 3 days after the cochins.

Yesterday morning (4 days AFTER the rosecombs hatched, I opened up coop #1 (cochin momma duo) and saw a day old rosecomb chick under the mommas????????????????? WHAT THE!? I am totally perplexed. The cochin mommas are now sitting on week or so olds and have been free ranging with them every day! There has been NO broody in that coop. I did see a rosecomb hen sneak in there and was where the mommas sleep (under the nesting box). I assumed she was laying an egg. They do that sometimes but haven't since we moved. Anyway, I never saw the egg. Im always in there messing around and never saw another broody or another egg. Cochins have stopped laying... I searched for the hatched shell.. couldn't find it. I though maybe my 4 yr. old found it somewhere it stuck it there??? questioned him to no avail. All of my rosecombs are accounted for so, there isn't a momma in the weeds?

any ideas

 

[Cat Water]

Maybe when you were free ranging them, one went to sit on a nest that was hidden from you and then she brought it back to the nest box.

At least you have a new chick to play with!

 

[Judy]

I have read that the chick can stop developing if cooled then start again when warmed.

If you don't watch them 24/7, you never know what they are up to!

 

[Msbear]

I think I know what happened!

I had two eggs under anothe rosecomb broody who abandoned the nest. One was pipped and dead and they were both cold. I didn't feel like cranking up the brooder as we head into fall for one chick IF it was even still alive so I tossed them in the garbage bag in the barn. I bet the sun hit the bag the next day and it hatched... and my four year old heard it and dug it out and put it under a momma...

That's the only thing I can think of ... Wyatt is almost 4... still 3 and hard to communicate w/ so, we may never really know