Need Help! 18 day old hatching eggs. Hen died

[Sheila 3434]

My hen was killed today and she was sitting on 8 eggs that are 18 days old. Four are dark and I am sure they have chicks. The eggs were not warm but not necessarily cold when I found momma. She had been dead a while when I found her, so I have no idea how long since she had been on them ( but at least two hours, I would guess). I have moved the eggs inside and have a lamp on them to a temp of 100 degrees. What are the chances they will hatch? What can I do?

Thanks for any help. I hope I can save these chicks since they are so close to hatching.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

Sorry for your loss

 

[Sparrowsong98]

If the temperature is right, really all you can do is wait. If they hatch at 21 days, they hatch, if not, they do not. I would say if they were not neccesarily warm though that the chances of them being alive are slim.

 

[sevenfatcows]

I have had hens get off the nest at that late stage before. and though the eggs did cool down, (were cool to the touch) they did hatch. The hens had gone to the wrong nest box, as they often will do, and I had been gone. I think the best thing you could do to try to salvage your eggs is to put together and emergency incubator or borrow one. Just a light bulb may not do since humidity is most important in the last three days. But, maybe you are in a humid place already.....I live in the desert, so it would never work here without creating artificial humidity.

 

[staceyj]

Terribly sorry for your loss.
I’d definitely give it a try.
Also I’d change the name of this thread or create a new one and put it in the emergencies section to get more attention for your immediate problem.
Something like:
Need help! Day 18 hatching eggs. Hen died!

 

[Sheila 3434]

Terribly sorry for your loss.
I’d definitely give it a try.
Also I’d change the name of this thread or create a new one and put it in the emergencies section to get more attention for your immediate problem.
Something like:
Need help! Day 18 hatching eggs. Hen died!

Thanks for the advice. I changed the name but how do I change it to the emergencies form?

 

[staceyj]

Calling in helpers
@TexasSam
@sourland
@KikisGirls
@Redhead Rae
@WVduckchick @pitbullmomma
@Smuvers Farm
@Chickassan

Squatchers bat signal activated.

 

[staceyj]

@Anansi can you help?

 

[TexasSam]

My hen was killed today and she was sitting on 8 eggs that are 18 days old. Four are dark and I am sure they have chicks. The eggs were not warm but not necessarily cold when I found momma. She had been dead a while when I found her, so I have no idea how long since she had been on them ( but at least two hours, I would guess). I have moved the eggs inside and have a lamp on them to a temp of 100 degrees. What are the chances they will hatch? What can I do?

Thanks for any help. I hope I can save these chicks since they are so close to hatching.

Keep the temperature there and put some damp rags around them the hard part is you don’t have a incubator so you will have to keep the rags good and damp. If you have a chance make a incubator and get it stable. If not just keep doing what you are doing just with damp rags. Add warm water regularly the rags need to stay as damp as possible. You have a 50/50 chance of saving them. What got momma

 

[staceyj]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures.10/

Here is the emergency forum but I think you should stay where you are now.
Help is coming.