Unhatched chick - still alive

[MechanicChick]

Hi
I had one chicken sitting on a heap of eggs. It got messed up, because my other hens were laying up there, also.
Two days before the first one hatched, another hen went and sat - upshot, two babies, two mothers, no other babies and they've both left the nest.
I went to clear the eggs, this morning (mothers weren't returning to nest), only to find one egg with a live, chirping baby inside.
What do I do with it? Maybe a bit too much info, but, all I could think to do was pop it under my breast to keep it warm. It's been a few hours and it's still chirping, with occasional moments of very faint tapping.
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Alleybird21]

I would try to open the egg carefully and get the poor baby out

 

[poultrymaniac]

Put it in an incubator, or find something warm like a heat lamp. Make sure its not too hot, around 98 degrees. If there have already been babies hatching then its probably time to help the chick, they usually hatch all within 24 hours. You want to be careful though, nothing worse than opening an egg with a chick that hasnt absorbed its yolk sac yet.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's been 12 hours what is going on? Not sure where you are so not sure what time of the day it is where you are. That was quick thinking, there are a few threads on this forum where women have incubated eggs under their breasts. The chicks usually don't hatch but they do develop.

If the chick has hatched but has not dried off, try to fix up something that is around 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit so it can dry off. If it has not hatched but is still alive do the same thing but include moisture to try to get the humidity up, that's trickier. Once it dries off you can try giving it to the broody hens, there is a good chance they will accept it but that is not for sure.

What probably happened is that this egg was probably laid the day after the hen started setting, so it is hatching a day late. The next time you have a broody hen you want to hatch I suggest you collect all the eggs you want her to hatch and make them. Then start all of them at the same time. Every day check under her after the others have laid and remove any eggs that do not belong. The eliminates these kinds of problems with a staggered hatch.

 

[Lauren Kim]

poor baby

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Clicking means it trying to externally pip. I'd keep it in a warm humid place and let it hatch on it's on if possible.