please please help

[tracyfuertevent]

one of my hens has been sitting on eggs for weeks 2 have hatched fine 2 have died whilst hatching and she has now abandoned the nest so i have 7 eggs starting to hatch with no mum,
i have bought them inside and i am trying to keep them warm i have warmed up tea towels in the oven so warm but not hot,wrapped them in a big scarf,
2 have already started to chip their way out
but i have no idea what to do next
so PLEASE HELP ME ASAP i really dont want to loose anymore
thanks in advance tracy

 

[appps]

You only need her to stay put for a few hours till they hatch. I would put her and the chicks and the eggs back on the nest and block their exit. She should just settle back down on the nest giving them their best chance to hatch. Even cover it with something so it's darker and she thinks it's bedtime.

How long ago did the other two hatch? If it's been more than a couple of days just watch her with the new ones when they hatch in case she doesn't accept them. I would pop them back to hatch and then start researching home made brooder box and get something organised in case you have to raise them yourself.

 

[tracyfuertevent]

they started to chip through at half seven this morning,and by half nine the eggs were really cold,even when i went over to the nest she didnt come running over or seem bothered or protective atall,
the other 2 are now 3 days old

 

[appps]

She is still your best bet to hatch them because out in the air without any humidity they are at risk of the membrane shrink wrapping them. Lock her back on and cross your fingers. Hopefully at least the couple started to hatch might make it and it will buy you a few hours to come up with plan B for the others.

 

[tracyfuertevent]

put mum and 2 chicks back on the nest,reintroduced one of the newly hatching chicks,blocked off her escape route

went back 5 mins later and she has killed it

what now ??

 

[appps]

Now you are a bit stuffed.

What have you got container wise you can use. What you are after is an enclosed area, not too big so the air warms, so you can put your warm towel and eggs in. Then grab about 1/3 of a kitchen sponge and wet it with warm water then squeeze most of it out and put that in there too. And put the lid on. Ideally it would be good to have an air hole or two just a bit bigger than a drinking straw diameter.

 

[appps]

Warmth wise you are trying to get the air in there up to around 100f so it's quite warm. Have you got a warm room or heater on, somewhere that the room air is pretty warm to start with so you aren't having to raise the containers temp so much.

Then I'd Google homemade incubator designs to see if you can find a quick easy design you have the bits for to see if you can get them through those last hours.

 

[appps]

As for when or if they hatch they are going to need a brooder. I got caught off guard myself last hatch because my broodie wanted nothing to do with my incubator hatched chicks. When she started pecking at them I grabbed them back out and pooped them back in the incubator while I built a brooder.

Mine was a small fish tank with foam and foil to help insulate it. Luckily I had a heat lamp though so I could heat it. I'm guessing you don't have one of those? You can heat with a regular lightbulb at a pinch but you are going to have to google ideas for that.

 

[tracyfuertevent]

they other one that is hatching now seems to be doing ok i was thinking that maybe tomorrow night at dusk to reintroduce it then ,when she has settled for the night .what do you think
i have a large white plastic container with a warm towel in whit the unhatched eggs in should i leave it in the sun during the day as it is quite warm here at the moment 20-22 degrees during the day and sunny,but nights drop down to about12 so shold i bring it in at night ???
thanks for all this info i have had many sucseful clutches in the last 2 years this is the first time i have had a problem
could she just be a bad mum ?

 

[appps]

No, after 3 days she has to get the other chicks fed and waterered because they have used up their absorbed yolk reserves so it's natures signal that brooding time is over. She has just moved into feed and protect mode rather than brood mode so if she doesn't recognise it as hers it's a threat.

You could try slipping it under her. Make sure it's dry and fluffy and looks like a chick then put it in one hand and use the other hand to cover it so she can't see it at all. Then slip your hands under her so hopefully she is none the wiser. No guarantees though that she won't attack it in the morning so I'd be setting my alarm and checking on her at daybreak so you can grab it out if she attacks it.

20-22 Celsius? Way too cold, needs to be 37.5c. No way they will survive 12c overnight.