Abandoned eggs advice needed!

[vicky]

Need some advice as Mummy Chicken has now abandoned her nest. She has (quite rightly) decided to look after the 3 hatched chicks, leaving 7 unhatched in the nest.

It didn't register at the time but I put the 6 Ebay eggs under her a couple of days later than the 'homegrown' eggs, so I've stupidly managed to stagger the hatching times...won't make that mistake again!

It is day 21 today for the Ebay eggs and one of the is pipping now! They hadn't got cold, just cool (although from brief internet research I gather temperature is not some important this close to hatch?).

So I have hashed together a box with a light and a damp kitchen towel, temperature is just below 100c, can't measure humidity...it's all a bit ad lib...

Can you have a look at the setup and say if you think it'll work? Or advise!

Thanks!

[MrsC]

Hi Vicky, fingers crossed for you!!!!!! I hatched in a homemade incy and the setup was nearly the same as yours. Let us know how you get on! x

[Glutton4...]

Bladdy 'ell! Fingers crossed for you, Hon!

[vicky]

Thanks! Forgot to say the whole things also on my electric blanket!

The one that's pipping is cheeping away like a good un!

I deliberately didn't go down the inci routa as I thought it would be too stressful...hmm

[Glutton4...]

I'm glad I didn't put real eggs under my iffy one now!

[RedThorn]

They may need a bit of help if the humidity get's too low and the membrane dry's out too much. as it does not have a lid, your humidity will be rather low. Hopefully RH and Bramble will be along with better help.

[RichmondHens]

Only just seen this. What a nuisance for you. Any more pipping? Has the already pipped one progressed at all? Like RT I would be concerned for humidity but as it's day 21 you may just get away with the set up you have.

The other thing you could do is try popping them back under the mum once she retires with the chicks for the night. She won't get off them till morning by which time some more may have hatched. If that happens you may have to shut her in for a day to let the newly hatched ones gather strength before they all go out together.

[vicky]

That sounds like a plan!
The hole is a bit bigger on the pipped egg so it may well hatch tonight. I was thinking of candling the rest to see if there's anything in them.
Do you think I could shove any that look viable back under her? I can always put them back in the warm box at first light tomorrow if nothing happens.

[RichmondHens]

Yes. Candle them and discard any obvious duds. Then return all the others to the hen. You may get a little surprise in the morning. Fingers crossed!

[jessmorris]

Crikey! That's all very nail biting for you V, good luck!

[kirsty b]

Good luck - let us know how you get on!!

[di]

This happened to us last year and we got Boo...can't believe it was a year ago
Dandelion had left the nest for most of the day with her new chicks and I assumed the remaining ones were duds....Andi got to the lottie after work(gone 5pm)and heard one of the eggs cheeping
Was quickly stuffed down my bra and into a temporary warm box before I could pick up an inci from MTR....despite being left 'cold' for the best part of a day he hatched fine and was a real character

The last hatch we did at home the inci died on us...or at least the thermostsat...really buggared up the humidity.
In between picking off tiny bits of shell I wrapped the eggs in warm damp flannels...just the one per egg and wrung out as much as I could.(and leaving the pip hole open and once the beak was out made sure it wasn't covered)It realy helped to soften the shell and both chicks hatched and are now healthy looking hens?...still don't know if Honey's a boy or girl.

Good Luck with whatever you do...I remember the yukky butterfly tummy feeling well.x

[vicky]

I candled last night and got rid of 2 clear eggs. The remaining 4 I could hear tapping so put them and the pipping egg back under Mum.
This morning she's turfed 3 eggs out which are cold - I've put them back in my box. She's sitting on 2 still but the pipping egg has made no progress . He is still alive in there and cheeping away. So I will check again in about an hour to see if she's still sitting or has gone off with the chicks again.
Really dissappointed, I was hoping he would hatch during the night...

Edit - the 3 eggs under the lamp inside are still alive, tapping and cheeping.

[Glutton4...]

Fingers crossed for you Vicky.

[RichmondHens]

Good news the others are still alive. Bad news the pipped one hasn't progressed. Is it not possible to borrow an incubator or hen from someone near you, just to get the others off? It's also possible given that there will be a reasonable gap between the already hatched chicks and any more that come off you will have the same problem as me - my hen wouldn't accept the little late maran chick. Luckily I had a spare broody which did take it. Still have four broodies if you need one .............!