ok i have a silkie that i gave 2 random eggs form other hens ( 1 waynndott / 1 amuracana) after we lost her 1st baby (after a successful hatch - possible drowning) i tried candling them and was pretty convinced they were fertile and growing chicks. on last candling about day 15 both looked very solid.... it's day 22 the one egg has a tiny peep crack the other (green) egg has no signs of a crack... how long do i wait to see if there is any signs of life and even then, how do i go about that? also for the first time that i've seen, mama ran out of the coop this morn, took the biggest poop ever, acted like she was starved and went out with everyone else eating and flirting with mister man now shes back sitting on the eggs.... normal?
Momma's behavior is very normal, thats what broodies do. As for the egg, I just had one hatch on day 23 in the bator, little bugger is running around the brooder w/ all its little buddies. I think 21 days is kinda a guideline, some hatch a day or 2 early, some a day or 2 late. I'd give it some more time.
FREAKING OUT... went out to check on junior...was doing fine earlier, pecked a hole thru and could see the beak and saw movement.... now about 2hrs later, went out to see progress and found mama sitting on other egg and junior egg gone, saw a wet spot in the bedding, started panicking and moving bedding around and finally found the egg burried under the bedding and lots of the shell cracked and some off but membrane still intact and some blood spots and NO movement from junior did he die? or is it resting? then mama jumped up and started just pecking at him... so i took her put her back on the egg.... and it felt cold (today is chilly too) should i have brought inside when it started to peep? so mama is just sitting on both... what should i do with the half hatched chick? HELP!!
He needs to be either under her or in a warm bator. The chuck may require assistance if the yoke has been absorbed and he is not able to get out on his own. If she has rejected him then you will need to keep him in a brooder and get him a chick buddy.
You didn't do anything wrong by leaving him with the broody. THis is not your fault. Take a deep breath and you will sort thru this and decide what to do. If this chick doesn't make it, you know you tried your best. I'm hoping it all works out just fine.
thanks for your feedback... all is well and so is baby!! after trying to read every thread on hatching i decided to bring it in the house and put it in my bathroom sink with towels and heat lamp... i wa so concerned becuz it just looked so dried out so i took a rag an soaked in in warm water and wrapped it a round the egg hope to soften up the membrane... it worked! every time i would tap on the shell the little one would start to struggle and finally got a wing out! then it seemed to quick after that... by time i went to bed it was still attatch to the shell... i wasnt sure what to do about that but my gut said leave it and when it ready it fall off... so, the loud mouth woke me up at 5am!! i put him out with momma this morning and all seems well in a crazy baby chicken moment while at the feed store getting some chick start... came home with 2 more peeps.... put them in with mamma and it was going well at first but after a while she kept going after the ameraucana.... by the time i went ot go get stuff to make another box and come back she had killed it!!!! what the heck?? the other one she seems ok with and her baby ok... last check in for the nite she was still lettingthem sit under her... one last question... someone please tell me what to do about the other egg that seems is not going to hatch... today is day 23 and still no pip... she is obessed with this egg... do i pull it and toss it or do i try to pip it myself and if so when and what do you do??? also if kept putting eggs under her would she just keep brooding? and is that safe? i mean how many cycle can she keep hatching back to back and not get sick from no excersise and not a lot of eating????? ok that was 2 questions.... any advice much appreciated!!
