Three have hatched! One to go...

[bantyhen'sfriend]

I have a broody that has been sitting on four eggs laid around the same time. One hatched on saturday, two on sunday. Did I mention that sunday was week 4? Well, her three so far have hatched quickly without any issues, and all look healthy and happy. But the fourth and final egg has not yet hatched. I can feel movement as the chick scratches and pecks around, and I can hear it easily, but no sign of pipping yet. I'm afraid that in caring for her other chicks, she'll forget about the last one. I've already cought her off the nest a couple of times sitting on her other chicks. When should I intervene, if at all? I have no incubator. Am I just a worry wart? Patience is the key, but it is also something I appear to lack...

 

[mamanaturale]

no advice since i have never had a broody hatch eggs, but good luck! and congrats on the hatch so far!

 

[bantyhen'sfriend]

At about noon I went out to check, and she had abandoned the fourth egg. It was rolled off the nest and was cold, but the chcik appeared to have tried to pip, through the side of the egg, not the top. It hadn't broken the membrane, so I did that, put it under a heat lamp in a bucket, and left it be (I could hear the chick rustle around). I came back a couple of hours later (four-ish) and it hadn't made any progress, it had rotated in the shell so its beak was barely visible; I was afraid it would twist further and suffocate, so I assisted it in zipping. Although it tried, it couldn't break out; the shell was unusuallu thick and the membrane was very, very tough. So I peeled away more of the top half of the egg, and I saw the problem: The chick was pushing with its head twisted over its back and trying to come out belly first. It was also very big, and couldn't move aorund much in such a small egg. So, it hatched around five fifteen and is now dry and under momma with its three siblings. It is the only one with a single comb.