I also posted this in Emergencies, in hopes of getting more responses faster.
I have a 2nd time broody mama. In this batch, we've already lost 3 chicks to ants. Looks like they pipped and ants attacked eggs. In effort to control ants and save babies, Mama had been eating ants, shell, yolk sac and anything that attracted the ants. Well, as you can imagine, the chicks weren't ready for such a shock and died. I already changed the broody nest, elevated and sprinkled more diatomaceous earth. These ants are horrible! They're the invasive black Argentine ants that have infested Southern California.
Anyways, two hatched successfully, but there are 5 more eggs. Mama abandoned nest to care for hatchlings and also to save them from the aggressive ants. The eggs were cold to the touch, but I know that she only had been off for less than 1.5-2 hours. One egg is partially hatched and ants started to attack already. I cleaned them all up and tried unsuccessfully to put them back under mama, but the other 2 chicks are running around a bit and I'm certain the ants will be back and attack again.
Right now, I have eggs and hatchling in a heating pad nest with a slightly damp paper towel and a meat thermometer. I've never tried incubating and hatching myself. I've read up on it, but I know in practice, it's going to be harder. The hatchling's shell is badly cracked (mama probably did in in trying to save it from ants before she left the nest), but the membrane is still supple. I don't hear any activity from the other eggs and I don't see any visible signs of pipping.
Is there anything else I should or should not be doing? What do I look out for? Any other advice? I'd really like to save these babies, especially considering we've already lost 3 to those pesky *%@$!%$# ants.
Here's a photo of my rescue set-up:
I also removed some of the membrane around hatchling's face. I'm afraid to remove too much because I see blood on the sides.
Thanks in advance for your help!!
I have a 2nd time broody mama. In this batch, we've already lost 3 chicks to ants. Looks like they pipped and ants attacked eggs. In effort to control ants and save babies, Mama had been eating ants, shell, yolk sac and anything that attracted the ants. Well, as you can imagine, the chicks weren't ready for such a shock and died. I already changed the broody nest, elevated and sprinkled more diatomaceous earth. These ants are horrible! They're the invasive black Argentine ants that have infested Southern California.
Anyways, two hatched successfully, but there are 5 more eggs. Mama abandoned nest to care for hatchlings and also to save them from the aggressive ants. The eggs were cold to the touch, but I know that she only had been off for less than 1.5-2 hours. One egg is partially hatched and ants started to attack already. I cleaned them all up and tried unsuccessfully to put them back under mama, but the other 2 chicks are running around a bit and I'm certain the ants will be back and attack again.
Right now, I have eggs and hatchling in a heating pad nest with a slightly damp paper towel and a meat thermometer. I've never tried incubating and hatching myself. I've read up on it, but I know in practice, it's going to be harder. The hatchling's shell is badly cracked (mama probably did in in trying to save it from ants before she left the nest), but the membrane is still supple. I don't hear any activity from the other eggs and I don't see any visible signs of pipping.
Is there anything else I should or should not be doing? What do I look out for? Any other advice? I'd really like to save these babies, especially considering we've already lost 3 to those pesky *%@$!%$# ants.
Here's a photo of my rescue set-up:
I also removed some of the membrane around hatchling's face. I'm afraid to remove too much because I see blood on the sides.
Thanks in advance for your help!!
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