Peeping Eggs - How to Hatch?

[tgperg]

I have a broody Dominique hen who had seven eggs under her. Four of them hatched, but yesterday a redtailed hawk attacked the cage she was in and it freaked her out. She retreated to the far corner of the cage with her chicks and won't go near the other three eggs. I shoved them under a broody duck to keep them warm yesterday and snuck them back under the Dominique last night. She stayed on them all night last night but first light this morning she hopped up with the hatched chicks. They were still warm and all peeping. One of them is pipped already. All three chicks inside are tapping on the shells. Right now I have them in my bra and I can hear them scratching and peeping. Is this the best way to hatch them? I could put them under the duck and take them away from her, but I'm afraid she might leave her eggs and they're not due to hatch for a couple weeks. Also she might hurt them. I don't have an incubator. Any ideas?

Traci

 

[mlward]

Geez Traci, good question! I'm fairly new to incubating and the whole "broody hen" thing. I have 2 hens setting now with a couple days to go and am on my 2nd incubator hatch. I'm not sure what I would do. The last hatch, we had a couple 4 hour long power outages and I carried the eggs around inside my clothes, wrapped against me with a scarf.

Yeah, that was weird. But, I don't know what you should do when they're about to hatch! Hopefully, some of our more experienced folks will give you some good advice. Good luck!

 

[emptynester]

I am curious myself as I have one broody mom with a hatch due the 25th, and no incubator if something goes wrong. Somebody will have an answer I'm sure

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Oh my. Someone on here posted, quite a while ago, about putting eggs in a pan in the oven. Sounds a little dangerous to me. If this were me, and i didn't have an incubator, i would put them under that broody duck until they hatched, then slip them into a brooder.

Hopefully someone else has some suggestions for you.

i wish you the best. Hope they all make it.

 

[tgperg]

Well, so far it appears to be working.

Traci

 

[ScissorChick]

The hen has got chicks now, and she has to explore with them, and does not have

time for the remaining eggs. For now, I'd keep them were they are. Maybe get

somone to run to the local feed store or tractor supply (I know YOU wouldn't want

to, with eggs in your bra

) and buy a $40 hovabator? it'd be worth it.


Your a very good chick mom, Traci. Not many people are willing to shove eggs

in their bra to save a few chicks.

 

[tgperg]

I'm really reluctant to mess with the broody duck right now because we had to really disrupt her yesterday. She is one of two ducks who went broody last month but the other duck got eaten by a predator, so she was on ALL the eggs. I knew she might have problems with that many, and last night we candled. 22 of the 29 eggs had to be thrown out. She was MAD as all get out and it took her a while to settle back on the seven good eggs. I really, really don't want her to abandon them.

Traci

 

[tgperg]

 

[jcfuente51]

Quote:
NICE!!

 

[stubbornhill]

Good job Traci keeping them going in whatever way you can. I hope someone comes along and helps you out with a bator or another idea. I just don't know how things will work out when they acutally start to come out of the shell! (messy and uncomfortable) But again, great job in keeping those babies coming!