Need fast advice!

[StaceyKay]

A couple weeks ago I had discovered my hen had been laying on some eggs that she had buried under the hay. I do not have an incubator so I put them back under her and decided to let her hatch them. A week and a half went by and she decided to abandon the nest. I checked the 3 eggs she had laid on and only one was fertile. I took in the single egg and didn't know what to do, seeing as how I do not have an incubator. I put a damp towel in the bottom of a casserole dish and hung a heat lamp over the dish, with plastic wrap (large holes poke everywhere) covering the dish for humidity. The temperature gauge has read lower than normal a lot of the time, usually 98.6. I try to keep it at 99.5 but I would have to be with the egg constantly for it to not go above or below the desired temperature. it has done well as far as I could tell, and is now on it's way to hatching. It has internally piped the air cell, but I have a huge concern here; it doesn't peep often. After it first pipped it peeped consistently, but now it peeps in short intervals. Should I be worried? Did I have too much humidity, or not enough? Was it too cold? Also, I candled the egg a bit often and am not sure if that could've possibly harmed it. I understand these aren't the best circumstances but it was the best I could do for a last minute, amateur set up. Apologies for the length but I would really apprileciate some fast feedback. Thank you

 

[bobthebunny]

Im sorry I don't hatch my eggs but I want to be the first to

welcome to our flock.

 

[StaceyKay]

Thank you!

 

[StaceyKay]

Update: this morning marked twelve hours from the internal pip. It had broken the shell last night but not the membrane, and because I know it didn't have enough humidity I worked around it and moistened it until I could safely make a breathing hole. It is now more active and is peeping more often.

 

[bobthebunny]

Sounds like your doing something right good job.

 

[StaceyKay]

Thank you, it has now hatched and is a bouncing, healthy little Silkie Buff Banner

 

[bobthebunny]

ADORABLE can I have pics

 

[StaceyKay]

Here she is!

 

[HugHess]

Thank you, it has now hatched and is a bouncing, healthy little Silkie Buff Banner

Congratulations on all that hard work paying off. Way to GO!

 

[StaceyKay]

Thank you!