Possible Hatching Emergency...advice needed.

[dct10]

Hello. First-timer here. We allowed our Lavender Orpington to go broody. She's been sitting on 15 eggs for about 24 days now. 8 have hatched without a problem...7 remain. We are in the midst of a real cold spell here in upstate NY and the temp is going to get into the low teens. We worried about the temp so we brought her, her chicks and eggs into the house. I hear chirping in the eggs. Will I mess anything up by not positioning the eggs properly for the soon-to-emerge hatchlings? Not sure if I have caused more harm than good. Is there a time period before I should intervene? Mom seems to have pushed a few of the eggs out from under her. One was quite cold. Should I be doing anything? Thanks

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

If you move them, you have to be SURE that you put them back in the position they were once in. Do you hear any more peeping from under the hen?

 

[dct10]

yes. There is chirping in almost all the eggs. Problem with repositioning them is I have no idea how they were positioned when I grabbed them from their original nest. I see mom regularly moving them and walking all over the eggs so I didn;t really consider the position they were in. I may be able to consult some recent photos

 

[dct10]

It should be noted that I realized other hens had been dropping eggs into her clutch while she was out for water and food. Most of the eggs are not hers. So I think there will be at least 5 days variance between oldest to newest eggs

 

[ladybrasa]

If you hear peeping from within the egg, that means it is internally pipped and should be externally pipping within about 24 hours, I think. Don’t worry too much about positioning, as eggs get shifted in nests by the hen and other chicks. Nothing too drastic. Most important is for the hen to keep up temp and humidity I would think, like in an incubator. Try to candle the eggs to get an idea of whether they are alive or what step they are on. Not sure how to make a hen continue sitting if she’s moved on with the already hatched ones.

 

[dct10]

Thank you. I will candle them now and try to convince her to push them back under her. Im thinking there isnt enough room now with all the babies too. What position shoudl the egg be in relative to the air sac?

 

[Kiki]

Thank you. I will candle them now and try to convince her to push them back under her. Im thinking there isnt enough room now with all the babies too. What position shoudl the egg be in relative to the air sac?

Do not worry about the position. She is going to move them regardless. Just candle and see if any are still alive.

 

[dct10]

OK. As I said, I still hear chirping so at least some are viable
I will head down now w a flashlight. Thanks for the help

 

[ladybrasa]

I’ve only incubated “upright” with shipped eggs in an incubator. But what is supposed to happen is the air cell at the ‘blunt’ end draws down to one side in the last few days so it looks slanted. The chick is supposed to internally pip into the air cell at the low end/dipped down part. You should be able to just make out a shadow triangle and breathing motions but not too much else. Chick should externally pip by a day later and then finally unzip and emerge by a day after that (or sooner). During the time between pups and zip the chick is finishing absorbing back in the blood and yolk. If the hen doesn’t want to sit anymore, I’ve heard people putting together emergency incubators - like a heat source, humidity and you need a thermometer, in a closed up container (well a little circulation)

 

[dct10]

OK...just candled the 5 she had outside the nest. I can see a definite air sac and veins in 2 of them. Didn't see any movement but I didn't intrude too long. The other three are completely dark and I couldn't see anything in them but they are quite heavy. I pushed them next to her and she tucked them back under her. I know she has had trouble keeping all eggs under her throughout the process. I have found 1-2 outside her nest in the mornings and they were quite cold.