What to do now.

[willychick]

Hi,

My broody Pekin bantam Mabel has been sitting on seabright eggs for 3 weeks now, 3 have hatched and it all happened quite quickly. One minute no pips next 3 chicks. Mabel was sitting on 5 eggs and the other 2 have not started to pip yet, it's been a day and a half now since the other chicks hatched. Do I leave her sat on them, or should I candle or float test to see if everything is ok? This is my first hatch so am a bit nervous as to what is going on, dead chicks would break my heart.

Any advise or guidance would be fabulous.

 

[Whittni]

Leave the eggs for a few more days, if they don't hatch --they weren't meant to be. Hatching shouldn't be assisted because there's always a reason why the chicks aren't hatching (such as twisted guts or other deformities). Best of luck and welcome to BYC!

 

[willychick]

Thanks for your reply. One hatched shortly after posting, the other died this morning. It appeared to have no eyes? Or opening for eyes just black areas on its head. So as you say it's not meant to be, nature knows what it is doing. It was very sad but the little guy is now buried with the flowers. Now fingers crossed they are girls and stay healthy and well.