My broody had left her nest early yesterday morning with her 7 chicks and had been off the nest all day. She had left 4 eggs, unhatched, in the nest. Yesterday evening (approximatley 12 hours since my broody had been back to the nest), I decide to go clean up out there (there was some poo and eggshells and such).
Then I get the bright idea to crack open the 4 eggs left in the nest
The first 2 were liquid and I trashed them. The 3rd egg I get to I notice a pip........so I start peeling the shell out from around the pip. (**mind you these eggs are COLD, it was like 55 degrees and they'd been exposed all day**). I clear the shell from the face and start peeling away around the feet and a dang foot pops out
So I panic realizing this chicks is ALIVE and run back in the house and get a heat lamp. I didn't know what I'd done, if leaving it with a face and foot hanging out would kill it, so I started gently peeling back the shell until the head and part of the body was exposed. At that point I'd encountered a little blood so I put it in a warm damp washcloth under a heat lamp and left him
I come back 2 hours later and there is a chick flopping around!
He was dragging part of the shell/membrane by his umbilical cord, so I cut it. Fast forward to today and the little dude is alive and running around.
So obviously he is lonely, and Mama Hen won't take him (I tried, she squawked and pecked him
). Do I take another one of her chicks and bring it in with this one for a buddy? Do I try to slip him underneath her tonight after dark?
HELP!
Then I get the bright idea to crack open the 4 eggs left in the nest
I come back 2 hours later and there is a chick flopping around!
So obviously he is lonely, and Mama Hen won't take him (I tried, she squawked and pecked him
HELP!
