What do I do with a well pipped egg abandoned by Mama ?

[dominiquetrix]

I had seven biddies hatch yesterday under my broody hen. She sat on the nest all day and night. I went in late this afternoon to see if we had any more babies. Still seven fluffy butts but two eggs still in the nest. Mama is no longer on the nest. One egg has no pip, no chirping. The other one has a huge pip and lots of chirping.I wasn'tsure what to do so I put them into the incubator with a chick that hatched early this morning. I have no idea how long ago it pipped. How long shouldI wait before I help it out if at all?

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[birdbrain5]

is the pip big enough to see if the membrane is drying up or stuck to the chick? i'd give it a couple hours unless i saw that it was dried out, then id help. give it a little while tho, im sure others will chime in too. maybe you could wrap it in a wet paper towel for a while to really keep it humid so it doesnt dry out.. good luck keep us posted!!

 

[Buugette]

Stick it in your bra... I have heard many an egg hatched that way when abandoned...

d

 

[dominiquetrix]

Hi again!

My power went off right after I posted this question yesterday. What a nightmare! I had one chick who was about 12 hrs old that I was about to put back with his mama. She abandoned him/her on day 19 so I tossed him in a box with a light and crossed my fingers. Before I could get him out of there I found this egg with a big pip in it and my broody was tending her other babies with no apparent plans for him. I quickly put him under the light and added wet rags for humidity.

After much pacing and hand-wringing on my part, he finally made it out safe and sound. I was waiting for him to dry and get his strength back before taking both of them outside when...out went the lights. I covered the incubator turned brooder with a heavy blanket. Then shortly thereafter realized that was the thing to do for eggs in the bator not the brooder. So I ran up and opened a little corner of the blanket to let air in. Then I thought "what if the warm air gets out and the new guy gets a chill?"

I called my husband in a panic. What should I do? I could not get online to ask my questions here. I was franic at this point and desperate.He very calmly suggested that the the only thing I could do for the chicks now was to give them to their mother(surrogate) and hope for the best.

Sooo I took them out to the hen house, it was getting dark, and went inside. Little Bitty(mama) hissed at me. Scary when a hen hisses at you especially in the dark. She hissed at me and pecked at the newest baby. I took a deep breath and pushed the little one under her chest with the older ones. The older of the two
I brought out had already found his way under her nice warm feathers. I gave Little Bitty a gentle pat and told her she was a good mama and left.

I am very happy to report that as of this afternoon every one is alive and well. You'd never know which ones were the intruders last night.

This whole experience has been fun and nerve-wrecking ,exasperating and exhilarating all at the same time!! I'm hooked!

Aint life grand!!

 

[dominiquetrix]

Buugette- My husband told me this morning I should have put the wet chick in my bra. Apparently he saw co-workers at the vet's office do that with baby squirles!

I assure you had I thought of that option yesterday I most certainly would have tried it!!

 

[ConnorMayasMom]

Happy you had a great ending to your story!! Congrats!!

 

[Buugette]

Quote:
Check out this thread... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=515185 It is very timely...

Glad everyone is happy, healthy and with mama...