Update! Panic! Moody broody may be done, but 4 pipping/peep eggs left!

[ChooksChick]

Well, posting from my bathroom upstairs, where I have a plastic shoebox, wet washcloth on bottom, 2 dry washcloths on top of that, 1 drying chick laying blissfully atop that, surrounded by 3 eggs, all atop a heating pad. I shudder to think what would have happpened to this little thing had it hatched alone and been left in the nest- other birds, momma's reaction! Yikes!

I'll put it and the eggs under her tonight, and cross my digits! Thanks so much! When I can put them up, I can pst from something other than my Blackberry and give up pics!

 

[Debbienmousey]

Congrats! I really hope she accepts the chicks & eggs and I hope more hatch

Not to clog your post, but I have a similar problem. My broody hen got off her nest when she had 5/6 chicks hatched on Tuesday. The sixth egg had a teeny tiny pip in it so I put it in my incubator and it hatched on Wednesday afternoon. Thursday I took one of the broodies chicks and put it in the brooder with my incubator chick.

Do you think mommy broody would accept both chicks? When we took the sixth egg we could not hear any peeping when we tapped on it. Do you think mommy will know her chick? (Even though she didn't hatch it all the way her self) And do you think she'll take her baby back which we took from her?

 

[birdlover]

I have given a broody hen a couple of chicks that weren't hers at all and she took them. They were several days old. I would try it but have a baby monitor or some other means of knowing if there's trouble and do it after she's in bed.

 

[dancingbear]

Just reach behind her with the chicks at night, and slip them under her. Hens can't count. They almost always take in the new babies.

You might wait until they're all hatched and dry, and getting active. That way they'll be able to keep up with the older chicks, and have a much better chance of survival.

 

[ChooksChick]

Momma took the baby fine, and though the chick is a bantam and half the size of the others, she's keeping up!

I have 3 eggs in my bra. I can't keep the temp from getting too hot with the heating pad, and we don't even own any incandescent bulbs; I can't manage with fluorescent. Every time one of my other 5 laying hens goes to lay, I put the eggs under her, but I have turbo hens that shoot eggs and walk away, silent, so that's just a lot of activity for these poor eggs. One has pipped a tiny triangle of shell in the last few minutes, but is silent.

I'm hoping Luna will decide to take a break and go sit down for a while!! I have things to do that aren't possible with a camisole full of eggs!

 

[birdlover]

The suspense is killing me!!! Just forget about what you need to get done! Will it matter 5 years from now? I don't think so!

There is a special little group of bycers who have hatched chicks in their bras. You are about to be a privileged member!!

 

[milleryardchx]

good luck! hope it ends well for your last few eggs!

i will be watching the post to find out

 

[dancingbear]

I once mostly finished hatching an egg in my bra, too! It was so long ago, I forget why I did it, I think it was the last egg after the hatch and mama left it, I can't think of any other reason I would have done it. It was over 15 years ago. I think I put it back under mom when it got dark and she was back on the nest for the night.

It's not unusual for an egg to pip, then take a nap. Zip later!

Good luck, I hope it all goes well!

 

[ChooksChick]

Well, I've got a combination of hot water in jelly jars, heating pad on low, wool sweater, wet and dry washcloths and little bowl of water in the plastic shoebox to mimic the underneath of a chicken. That's one heck of a combination!!

I'm not feeling good about how long this little thing is taking, nor about how little is happening in the other 2 eggs. I know when you've got an incubator going, it's a cardinal sin to intervene, but what about when you haven't any of the right circumstances, nor the ability to achieve proper incubation variables? I had to drip water in the hole of the little one last night and then sat on my hands, but this little one seems to not need the same- yet. It's far quieter and less energetic.

It's killing me to sit still. I'm trying to do the right thing. I desperately want to candle the other 2 to see if I've got any activity- I did last night. I also feel bad- what if they're upside down or something?

AAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagaggghghghghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!


*sigh*


Better have a glass of wine. 2 days of this is too much.

 

[ChooksChick]

***GAH!!!***

Did I mention my heating pad has an auto shut-off that turns the blasted thing off every 7 minutes?? Who only wants heat for 7 minutes??

I would run out and get the right equipment, but I lost my job in Jan and can't afford it!!

This is an exercise in frustration and patience...with a fantastic payoff that I'm not really in control of...prayers, please?