I had two silkies go broody. They sat on 26 eggs. I float tested the eggs after about two weeks. 12 failed. I left the remaining 14 under them.
We received our new incubator right before it was time for lockdown. I brought the bantam eggs inside (7) and put them in there. (I want to raise them inside.) I left the remaining 7 eggs under the hens.
2/6 One chick hatched under the silkies, One pipped.
Total: 1/14
2/7 Pipped egg hatched, plus two more hatched. Two inside eggs hatched. Incubator cracked, had to send it back. Put the rest of the bantam eggs back under the hen and put the chicks in the brooder.
Total: 6/14
2/8 Two bantam eggs pipped. Heard noises in one regular egg. One regular egg hatched, mother didn't sit on it. Both mothers pecked at it. Found it cold and barely breathing. Brought it inside and cared for it. It's doing better. Think it's physically and possibly mentally challenged. (Odd happening #1)
Total: 7/14
2/9 Float tested a big one that I hadn't heard any noises from. Failed the test. Both pipped eggs had larger holes where they had pipped. Went out later and one pipped egg was GONE. Chick, egg, all of it. (Odd happening #2) Brought the other pipped egg inside just in case. Hatched it under a heat lamp. All went well. It's doing great. Was afraid the mothers would neglect the rest of the eggs if they hatched, brought them inside and put them in a POORLY made homemade incubator. (Not too worried because if they hatch, it will be SOON.) Regulating it VERY CAREFULLY.
Total: 8/12
The hens were sitting tight on the eggs though. If a baby hopped out and couldn't get back in, it took a lot of convincing to even get the mama to retrieve it. One time all the chicks hopped out and they got out of the box and sat on them beside the box. I even took one hen out of the box to count eggs and she tried rolling the eggs under her while sitting beside the box.
How long should I wait on these eggs inside. 3 bantams and 1 regular.
I do always crack eggs if they fail the float test or don't hatch. I plan on cracking these, I just need to know when to give up.
We received our new incubator right before it was time for lockdown. I brought the bantam eggs inside (7) and put them in there. (I want to raise them inside.) I left the remaining 7 eggs under the hens.
2/6 One chick hatched under the silkies, One pipped.
Total: 1/14
2/7 Pipped egg hatched, plus two more hatched. Two inside eggs hatched. Incubator cracked, had to send it back. Put the rest of the bantam eggs back under the hen and put the chicks in the brooder.
Total: 6/14
2/8 Two bantam eggs pipped. Heard noises in one regular egg. One regular egg hatched, mother didn't sit on it. Both mothers pecked at it. Found it cold and barely breathing. Brought it inside and cared for it. It's doing better. Think it's physically and possibly mentally challenged. (Odd happening #1)
Total: 7/14
2/9 Float tested a big one that I hadn't heard any noises from. Failed the test. Both pipped eggs had larger holes where they had pipped. Went out later and one pipped egg was GONE. Chick, egg, all of it. (Odd happening #2) Brought the other pipped egg inside just in case. Hatched it under a heat lamp. All went well. It's doing great. Was afraid the mothers would neglect the rest of the eggs if they hatched, brought them inside and put them in a POORLY made homemade incubator. (Not too worried because if they hatch, it will be SOON.) Regulating it VERY CAREFULLY.
Total: 8/12
The hens were sitting tight on the eggs though. If a baby hopped out and couldn't get back in, it took a lot of convincing to even get the mama to retrieve it. One time all the chicks hopped out and they got out of the box and sat on them beside the box. I even took one hen out of the box to count eggs and she tried rolling the eggs under her while sitting beside the box.
How long should I wait on these eggs inside. 3 bantams and 1 regular.
I do always crack eggs if they fail the float test or don't hatch. I plan on cracking these, I just need to know when to give up.
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