newbie failed attempt to hatch plz tell me what i did wrong

[joshyoua_rine]

what went wrong?

this was my first time, hen started setting 3-15 or 3-16 on 18 eggs in homemade nest box inside of coop. i never bothered her except just to peek in while she would come out to eat and the occasional egg count. i thought 4-6 (tomorrow) would be hatch day but i just went to check on her and she was on the roost. i tried to put her on the nest but she would not cooperate so in my last attempts to salvage anything i pulled the nest box and put it under the heat lamp. the egg count is up to 26 and has little bugs on everything.

i dont know what went wrong

 

[AlienChick]

Sounds like there may have been too many mites in the nest which caused her to get off the nest.
Did you put the eggs in an incubator to see if any will hatch?

 

[nurse_turtle]

Sounds like the bugs irritated her so much that she gave up. Also, where on earth did she get 26 eggs! That's too many. I usually allow my broodies 4-8 eggs and I mark them with a sharpie so I can remove any new ones daily.

 

[joshyoua_rine]

dont have a incubator but i had a heat lamp so i put the eggs under it last night and turned them this morning. today should have been hatch day how long should i wait before i give up? i waited and waited on her to go broody and finally when the nest hit 18 eggs she decided to and i have a friend that has failed twice on hatching so i was just thinking ill leave her alone and wont bother her.

and what about the mites how do i get rid of them?

 

[AlienChick]

To get rid of the mites you can dust the area with Seven Dust or DE.
I have found them both to be effective.
The chickens will have to be dusted, too.
Just put the powder in an old sock and pat it all over the chickens including underneath the wings and around their butts.