I am have a hard day as a chicken keeper. I had a hen sitting on eggs; a calm japanese bantam. She was doing the broody pose and growls, but otherwise calm. She's on day 21 today, and right on schedule this morning, I heard peeping. I peeked under her and saw an egg hatching. When I went to check on them after lunch, I found two chicks had hatched, and she'd pecked them to death, poor loves! She had blood and fluff on her beak. I've hatched many chicks over the years, often with broodies, and while I've had some be neglectful, this is my first murder-hen. I knew it can happen, but I'm sad to experience it myself.
There are five eggs left (1 pipped, 2 others peeping, 2 quiet and I suspect not hatching). I ran into the house to set up my small incubator to prepare to nab the remaining eggs so they could hatch safely. When it had warmed to near best temperature and settled on humidity for hatch, I went to retrieve the eggs. I walked back into the house with eggs in hand, and smelled smoke- the incubator died, literally a part of the electronics blew. So no incubator, and eggs that are hatching!
I'm looking for the best way to get these remaining little ones through hatch. Right now, I've quickly set up a heating pad lined with non-stick cling wrap and a damp paper towel. I have a digital thermomemter/humidity sensor with the eggs to monitor, and I'm approximately near where things need to be, but as you can imagine, it's kind of fluctuating and imprecise.
Does anyone have advice on what I might be able to do quickly? Thank you!
There are five eggs left (1 pipped, 2 others peeping, 2 quiet and I suspect not hatching). I ran into the house to set up my small incubator to prepare to nab the remaining eggs so they could hatch safely. When it had warmed to near best temperature and settled on humidity for hatch, I went to retrieve the eggs. I walked back into the house with eggs in hand, and smelled smoke- the incubator died, literally a part of the electronics blew. So no incubator, and eggs that are hatching!
I'm looking for the best way to get these remaining little ones through hatch. Right now, I've quickly set up a heating pad lined with non-stick cling wrap and a damp paper towel. I have a digital thermomemter/humidity sensor with the eggs to monitor, and I'm approximately near where things need to be, but as you can imagine, it's kind of fluctuating and imprecise.
Does anyone have advice on what I might be able to do quickly? Thank you!
