I've just witnessed a miracle.
About 2 weeks ago, I candled the 6 eggs my silkie hen had been sitting on for 10 days. 5 eggs candled clear, one showed an embryo. I was crushed, didn't know what to do as hatching one lone chick seemed a terrible destiny.
My friend had just hatched some chicks so I asked him to bring them over and swap out the one egg for the chicks, so my hen could finally be a mom (2nd time broody, never any babies). Worked like a charm, she is the best surrogate mom evar!
Problem: what to do with the egg?...
Solution: be lucky enough to have the same friend take the egg, stick it in a long cotton sock and wrap the sock around his neck like a tie, so it laid close to his body for heat. He had to run errands for the day and would only be able to put the egg under one of his broody hens in the evening but hey, it was worth a shot... Nothing to lose as the alternative was to toss the little silkie egg. (his broody had been sitting on a clutch of eggs for 10 days- what a coincidence!)
Well guess what... yesterday, the little silkie baby hatched!!!
This embryo endured drastic changes in temp and humidity, it got bumped around and handled and re-set under another hen... and still, it hatched.
Sometimes nature gives you a fighter - I am still dumbfounded, amazed and oh! so happy!
About 2 weeks ago, I candled the 6 eggs my silkie hen had been sitting on for 10 days. 5 eggs candled clear, one showed an embryo. I was crushed, didn't know what to do as hatching one lone chick seemed a terrible destiny.
My friend had just hatched some chicks so I asked him to bring them over and swap out the one egg for the chicks, so my hen could finally be a mom (2nd time broody, never any babies). Worked like a charm, she is the best surrogate mom evar!
Problem: what to do with the egg?...
Solution: be lucky enough to have the same friend take the egg, stick it in a long cotton sock and wrap the sock around his neck like a tie, so it laid close to his body for heat. He had to run errands for the day and would only be able to put the egg under one of his broody hens in the evening but hey, it was worth a shot... Nothing to lose as the alternative was to toss the little silkie egg. (his broody had been sitting on a clutch of eggs for 10 days- what a coincidence!)
Well guess what... yesterday, the little silkie baby hatched!!!
This embryo endured drastic changes in temp and humidity, it got bumped around and handled and re-set under another hen... and still, it hatched.
Sometimes nature gives you a fighter - I am still dumbfounded, amazed and oh! so happy!