Urgently Need Advice Abandoned Eggs & Chicks

[snowdonsharon]

My buff orp has sat on 10 eggs in private quarters and was due to hatch on the 3rd November. Two chicks appeared today and THIS EVENING mum abandoned the nest of eggs and is devoting herself to the 2 chicks. At least one unborn chick is tapping away. THE EGGS ARE COLD Will she go back to the eggs....or will they die? Can i help?!!! ADVISE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

 

[LarryPQ]

Keep em warm if you can, but if the eggs are cold, they are likely dead. You can always eggtopsy to see.

If some survive, it is likely you will be able to sucker momma into taking them. Just make sure to try after dark.

 

[team edward]

I wouldn't depend on her to go back to them. She may, but the chicks may have already died by the time she does. If you have an incubator, start it up and put them in it. If not, get a cardboard box with some type of bedding, a bowl of water (for humidity), and put a heat lamp over them to get it at about 100 degrees. Best of luck

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

She won't go back. Someone else suggested getting an incubator warmed up and if you have one that would work. If she hasn't shown a good track record as a broody, then I wouldn't depend on her in the future to hatch a whole clutch of eggs.

 

[Lollipop]

Didn`t see this thread until now. Hope you managed to keep the eggs warm. If one was pecking, there could have been others that were alive. I wouldn`t blame the hen. Usually they will leave the nest with any hatched chicks on the second day, thereby giving any slow hatchers a chance, but your hen obviously was over anxious and left the first day. Chances are, she isn`t a hen at all, but a pullet and this is her first hatching experience. Lot`s of them don`t get it exactly right on the first go round. However, now that you know this, you can be prepared the next time. Chances are, this hen/pullet, will be perfect from now on. Again, hope you manged to warm the eggs and get some others to hatch. If so, put them under mom in the dark of night and she should accept them with no problems.........Pop