Thought egg was dead... cracked it a bit to make sure and sure enough it’s alive!!

[Caitlyn707]

So the broody hen abandoned a few eggs. One was about to hatch so we took it in, I kept it warm with my breath and YES.. I did help it the rest of the way, it is healthy and back with mama now. There were about three other eggs that looked alive, so we got a heating pad in a pet crate, with a towel on top and my soft pj pants as a nest lol. One pipped but died, and another pipped and made no progress, so I helped it slowly throughout the day, it is out now and drying getting stronger every minute. But.. we candled the other, and it looked dead, it wasn’t making a sound! But then before doing anything too drastic, we thought we would crack it a bit to see if it was alive.. and it is. Unfortunately the inner membrane got opened and it started to bleed, but it did not bleed a lot, I put a small amount of the shell from the other egg on the opened spot to help keep it from bleeding. The paper-like membrane is quite exposed, and I know that needs to stay moist, should I try wrapping it in moist paper towel? It could have been another day or so before it was ready to hatch.. can I keep it alive that long?
I don’t know how to upload photos from my iPhone or I would!

 

[Chicalina]

I'm almost tempted to suggest fashioning a plastic sling of some sort, wrapping the egg in a damp cloth and shoving it down your top, suspended from your neck so as not to squash it.

That will be a nice warm humid place.

I may have read the bra hatching thread recently

 

[Bweis13]

I'm almost tempted to suggest fashioning a plastic sling of some sort, wrapping the egg in a damp cloth and shoving it down your top, suspended from your neck so as not to squash it.

That will be a nice warm humid place.

I may have read the bra hatching thread recently

The bra hatching thread is hilarious. Oh, I hope this little one makes it!

 

[Chicalina]

me too!

 

[Chicalina]

Yes, they won't all grow and be ready to hatch if they started on different days. It means she will probably leave the nest when the oldest are 1 or 2 days old and whatever is left and not ready to hatch will die.

Have you got any more broodies or an incubator for the late one?

 

[Mvan42]

Do u have a Styrofoam cooler. If so put a small bowl of water in it. The egg, and have any light they all put off heat heat lamp would be best. Cover the top as much as possible but make sure there is some air. I did this a few years ago with one late hatcher that my broodyeft behind to care for the others.. good luck. Keep that membrane moist with coconut oil or antibiotic ointment without pain reliever..

 

[Ruby Rogue]

So it also moves every 10 seconds, kind of like it’s heartbeat or something making it twitch? It was moving a lot more earlier, is this a bad sign?

Don't get your hopes up for this one. Try your best though, good luck.

 

[Chickeria]

Hi how is your little one doing? I think Mvan42 is right it will need assistance in hatching - did it pip or try to pip externally? If yes could/can you see the beak in the little crack hole? As long as the chick makes little 'eating' movements with the beak it is absorbing the yolk and not yet ready to hatch completely.

 

[Caitlyn707]

Sorry everyone! Got busy with work the last few days. Unfortunately it did not make it.. nor did the other one that hatched, when I left it to dry and eat my dinner, I came back and it was dead. We’re thinking next time we have a broody hen we will have an incubator handy! But we did save one, so now I believe the hen has about 7 chicks and all are doing well!

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

@MGG