"Updated" Need Help. Incubating Questions...Broody left nest...

[Kat's Silly Chickens]

My broody and her 2 chicks left the nest today. There were still 10 fertile eggs in it. I removed the eggs and put them in a nest covered by a moist washcloth under a 100 watt brooder lamp.
If the lamp keeps them warm enough to continue developing to hatch I need to know a few things. I can't afford an incubator.

1. When do I turn them and how often will they need to be turned?

2. How much of a turn do they need? I know they have to be set with the wide end tilted up.

3. Do you think they will make it to hatch in my homemade incubator?

Please can someone help me with this? I really want a Mille Fleur D'Uccle and 8 of them are Mille Fleur, 2 of them are Silkie...





1 of our Cochins went broody last week and I put 12 fertile eggs under her last night. 1 of them hatched this morning. The eggs are Silkie and Mille Fleur from a friends chickens, I've never had chickens that hatched eggs. I've read here that the chick gets enough nutrients from the yolk to last a few days, but:

1. Should I put a small feeder and waterer in the nest area so the chick can eat and drink?
or
2. Should I remove the chicks how many hours after the hatch and put them in a brooder? (We are having temps between 40's to upper 60's this week)
or
3. Will the hen show the chick where to get food and water? (hen is a little over 6 months and staying with the eggs and chick at all times)

Please can someone help me with this?

 

[Katy]

You put the eggs under her last night and one hatched this morning?! That's a quick 21 days.

 

[Kat's Silly Chickens]

A friend of mine gave me some of her fertile eggs to help hatch. She told me the Silkie ones would be hatching within a few days.

 

[Katy]

Kat's Silly Chickens :

A friend of mine gave me some of her fertile eggs to help hatch. She told me the Silkie ones would be hatching within a few days.

THat makes more sense then.


If the eggs aren't all due to hatch at the same time the hen will probably leave the nest with whatever chicks have hatched over a day or two and leave any unhatched eggs. If you want her to finish the hatch you'll probably need to remove the chicks to a brooder. They can technically go 3 days before they need to eat and drink.​

 

[Kat's Silly Chickens]

Ok thank you so much, I'll put the 1st chick in our hospital brooder in the morning with a small feeder and water.
Should I allow each hatched chick in with the hen 24 hours before putting them in with the new hatchlings?

 

[bluegoose]

I would leave them with the hen. they should do just fine if it would make you feel better about them not getting cold then put them in a brooder to keep them warm.if you leave them with the hen and place water with them make sure the water is not in something to deep or the chicks could fall in.

 

[wsdareme]

I don't know if it's important for the chicks to spend time with the hen, but I'd put chick #2 in the brooder with chick #1 as soon as possible so chick #1 isn't lonely.

 

[bluegoose]

agree

 

[Kat's Silly Chickens]

This started as a hatching experiment for my Cochin that went broody. All the eggs will hatch at different times, within a few days to 2 weeks max on the Mille Fleur. My friend didn't mark them in any way to tell when they were laid. We won't even know the color of the 4 Silkies until they start feathering out, she collects her eggs daily and places them with her broodies. She has so many different color Silkies together in the same area. I'm hoping the Silkies each hatch within 24 hours of each other, but I'd rather put them in a brooder than have the hen abandon the nest and loose the Mille Fleurs.

 

[Kat's Silly Chickens]

Que is sitting on the nest of eggs and the chick is doing fine from what I can hear. It's been peeping, I just don't know how many have hatched yet, I don't want to lift Que up to see how many there might be. I put a Quail waterer and chick feeder in the tote nest area on a board to keep it balanced, so when the chick and Que get hungry/thirsty it'll be close.
I'm a worry-wort, this is the 1st time I've tried hatching chicks(well at least setting fertile eggs with a hen, that is).
As soon as I can get pics I'll post them.
Will check again in a few hours.