** Update pg.5 Makeshift Bator PIC** Prevailing after slight disaster!

[chickpeaz]

That is so cool! Can't wait to see pics and hear about the rest of the hatchlings.

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

Cant wait to see some pictures....

Are you going to showcase the rest of your farm animals on your BYC page some day?????

 

[coolchickens]

Well, my count went from two last night to 10 today when I got back from a trip. They are so tiny and SO cute. It looks like 4 of them are light blu/grey and the others appear to be blk with yellow chests. There are still 4 eggs under her unhatched so I'm trying to decide what to do with them. Is it too soon to assume they won't hatch just in case they were outside cooler eggs so developed slower. I handled 2 of them and they are very heavy but no pips going on that I could hear or see. I know Mom will not leave her nest with any eggs under her so I'll have to do something by tomorrow if the little ones are going to get out and get any food. Anyone have any ideas re slow unhatched eggs?

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Congratulations on the hatches!

Can you get food to the chicks? Or out them out for a little while, under your supervision? They are probably good for today with the hen anyway. Hope the other 4 hatch soon!

 

[coolchickens]

Okay, I just checked. I've got to do something about those unhatched eggs and mom as the babies already hatched yesterday really need out. I held water in nest and mom drank, calling to her chicks to drink. Some drank, not all. Held food container and she clucked and they rushed to eat but its really crowded in that nest so some got and some did not. One of the eggs now has a crack in it but I hear nothing going on. Is it safe to put momma out of the nest for a little to let the chicks eat or would that mess up those unhatched eggs if they are ready to go? Any ideas from anyone?

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

I'd be apprehensive to move momma out, but I understand your concern for them to eat. But I think they will be ok. Maybe just rotate the food in and out and hopefull they will all get a turn

 

[Bec]

I ended up having to take the babies away from my momma hen. Just for now anyway. I had 2 pips last night and today I had 1 new baby and 1 dead baby that she was feeding to her chicks!!!

It wasn't done hatching yet and it looks as though she pecked the heck out of the shell and the poor baby never had a chance. She started eating the unabsorbed yolk and when I checked on her, she was feeding it to the other babies....that poor baby

. So I decided to bring the 4 hatched babies in for now since the other eggs aren't ready yet. I guess they are all due at different times. There is one with a pip so I will be going and checking on it to make sure she doesn't kill that one too. I had food and water available to her right next to her nest so it isn't like she had no food to feed them.

Should I wipe off the other eggs? They have yolk and gooey stuff on them.

 

[ams3651]

my broody kept pecking at one of her eggs that had been pipping for a while. It ended up not making it, it was weak. I wonder if she knew and thats why she was doing it. It also took 3 days for her eggs to hatch even though they were set at the same time. I read there cam be a bit of a fluctuation with hatching under a hen. After the 3rd day I threw the remaining eggs out, they were bad.

 

[Bec]

I candled last night and there are active babies in the rest. I did know she was sitting AND stealing eggs as she sat! So they weren't all set at once, she was egg napping for a little while..naughty girl!

 

[coolchickens]

Okay, mama made the decision for me on the unhatched eggs. When I went out to check on her, she had gotten out of the nest with her 10 new babies and was teaching them to eat and drink. She decided the other 3 unhatched eggs were done and she was right. I opened them and one was not fertile, other two appeared to have died before hatching but fully developed. Just too weak to get out I guess. Nature knows better than us. 10 out of 13 hatched, I'm happy! She's a good mama.