Need advice, brooding day 23

[PBlanck]

First time trying to hatch chickens.

A hen went broody and was sitting on infertile eggs for 3 days. I went to a friend and got 12 fertile eggs and swapped them out one morning when she got up to eat. Day 12 I candled with a flashlight. Not very bright flashlight, but I could see dark masses in 11 of the eggs, I removed the twelfth, scrambled it and fed it to the hen.

In the 21 days that she was broody we got hit with a snow storm and cold weather (25-35 degrees). Day 21 (warm weather) came and went, nothing. Day 22 I lifted her up and one of the eggs was cracked open with a chicken trying to push out. I left her alone. Today, Day 23, at lunch I found the chick dead, only half out of her shell. None of the other eggs appear to be cracked.

What do I do, my options as I see them:

1) My wife says quit messing with her and let her sit 2 or 3 more days to see if the cold weather just postponed everything. She does not think we should bother candling at this point because she does not think we are skilled enough to do it. She does not think we should use the water trick because she thinks it sounds questionable.

2) Do the water test to see if they are viable.

3) Go get another dozen eggs and stick them under her and hope she sits on them another 3 weeks.

4) Take some eggs from a different hen that has been sitting on eggs for roughly 18 days and stick them under her so that she has a chance to hatch some? I think the viability of the other eggs might be suspect as she is so small I don't know if she was covering all the eggs all the time.

5) Try to break her broody streak.

 

[crazycluck86]

Yhis happened with my broody, but we decided as she had lost so much weight and condition after sitting on eggs for 22 days to buy some day old chicks and sneak them under her! Plus i dont think my nerves would hold out for another month! It worked and she is now a very good mom to four beautiful babies. You could try again with new eggs, but it depends on her condition?

 

[PBlanck]

Day 24 and she hatched a baby black chick last night!!!!

I had decided to take crazychuck and my wife's advice. I did not want to put my hen through another 21 days of egg sitting so I just decided to follow my wife's advice and do nothing. They would either hatch or not, but she would be getting no new eggs.

Then this morning I was cleaning out the cage and not thinking I lifted her and there was a startled black chick very excitedly flapping about. She looked strong and healthy. I quickly put the mama back down.

My conclusion is this. The snow and cold weather pushed the due date back several days. The chick that died was broken open prematurely. It had been pushed in on the side so I think it was broken open by the broody or by another hen laying an egg. Another couple of days and she probably would have been just fine.

We will see if any other chicks pop out of their eggs before tomorrow, but even one is enough to be excited about. My first hatch!!!

 

[crazycluck86]

Yay!! That's great! Fingers crossed theres more chicks

 

[MuckyPuppy]

Congratulations!

 

[PBlanck]

Woo Hoo! I now have 2 chicks, black and yellow.

But Mama is still sitting on the eggs. I guess I just let her be. I hope she gives up on the other eggs soon enough that the two baby chicks get to eat and drink.

 

[lclough1998]

Woo Hoo! I now have 2 chicks, black and yellow.

But Mama is still sitting on the eggs. I guess I just let her be. I hope she gives up on the other eggs soon enough that the two baby chicks get to eat and drink.

Momma knows best. It doesnt sound like she is separated with her nest, but the 1st chicks can go 3 days without food. I had some wierd hatches when it was cold, they were late and I thought they werent going to hatch. I think it just slows down the incubation when the weather is cold. You can move a small feed and waterer by mommas head, she really shouldnt get up when they are hatching, chance of hurting the chicks, keeping steady temp and humidity under her. I think of it as the 3 day lockdown they talk about when incubating in an incubator. She is in lockdown. I know its hard to wait but you will have better luck letting her set. Good luck!