When do I take unopened eggs away from mum?

[bantymum]

Hi all,
I have a first time mum with 2 chicks, hatched 2 days ago. She still has 4 eggs under her which havent even been pipped, Mumma wants to stay on them much to the chagrin of the littlies who want to get out and explore.
Its also uncomfortable for them to have to squeeze in under mum with an egg sitting there.
Im tempted to get an egg and have a look by way of a gentle candle with a torch.
When do you think I should take them off her so she can get on with raising the peeps.
Sorry, I havent had such a bad hatch rate before so never had to face this dilemma!

 

[jimnjay]

Candling will tell you if there are viable chicks there. At some point very soon, the mama will have to start taking care of the chicks that have hatched. Even if there are developing chicks in the eggs, she will have to leave them or neglect the chicks that have hatched. You have two choices. Take the chicks and brood them yourself or take the eggs away and let the mama get on with raising the babies. She may leave them anyway but sometimes they just keep sitting. If the unhatched eggs are near time, you can sometimes hatch them out without an incubator. A, light with a reflector and a covered plastic box and damp cloth can provide enough to hatch out fully developed chicks. Some have used an electric skillet set on low and the bottom covered with a layer of shavings, a bowl of water and a vent in the lid. Good Luck

 

[bantymum]

Thankyou very much, Jimnay, ill go out and candle them and will use a frypan if they look viable.
I have a good frypan with a reliable thermostat.
No I wont cook them!!!
Ill let you know how it looks shortly.

 

[bantymum]

Ok I have candled them, 2 are definately clear, 2 have a solid mass inside.
Im preparing the skillet, I have pine shavings, a small bowl of water and the vent is open, Ill set it to the lowest temp?
Ive attached the plug to a powerboard as well in case of mishaps!
Ive never left a skillet on for any length of time!!!
How long should I give these eggs? help!

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

Don't know anything official. I gave my eggs 5 days extra time before chucking them. I figured, if they hadn't hatched by then, there will be something wrong with the chick even if it does hatch.

-maureen

 

[chickenman7]

2-3 more days.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

My duck gave up on the rest of her eggs a few days after her ducklings hatched. Out of curiosity, I checked inside the eggs, because I was certain anything that had been alive had died by then. The first one I opened had a nearly perfect duckling in it that just hadn't absorbed its yolk sack. That was really hard to see and I almost didn't continue looking. The rest were all blanks or ones that quit early on.

My point is just that I think you should give it a try and I wish you good luck!

 

[bantymum]

Drake maiden said,
My duck gave up on the rest of her eggs a few days after her ducklings hatched. Out of curiosity, I checked inside the eggs, because I was certain anything that had been alive had died by then. The first one I opened had a nearly perfect duckling in it that just hadn't absorbed its yolk sack. That was really hard to see and I almost didn't continue looking.
that is exactly what happened with my ducks last Saturday, i opened one and couldnt bear to open the other 4. too depressing. I buried them with lots of flowers! the duck had 14 ducklings so she couldnt wait for any more.
I turned off the life support to the other 4 eggs,
i dont have a brooder set up and for some reason I figured that they werent going to hatch. No noise coming from inside and I couldnt bear to open one to see what was inide after seeing inside the duck eggs.
Thankyou for your advice everyone.
I gave them 2 days.