Look look look, they've started to hatch!!

[kathyd]

It's true - all those tiny little eggs really did have tiny little chicks inside! 6 have arrived so far, I do hope the rest will follow! And they're so sweeet!! And the mother hen is delightful - behaved like a perfect little lady all the way through, and I'm gobsmacked by how instinctive it all is to her. I love it!

[Nicos]

Te he!!!...I'm thrilled for you!

Fingers crossed for a full hatching !

...more piccies please!!!!!!!!

[polo]

Lovely, look forward to more pictures x

[lottie dolly]

awe lovely,new life is always a new wonder

[webby23]

How fantastic! Aren't broodies clever, knowing just what to do. My little one year old hybrid has just hatched 4 pretty bantam chicks and I could spend all day listening and watching her looking after them. Pity work gets in the way! An everyday miracle - enjoy!

[CaroltheCarrot]

Aw, how sweet

[kathyd]

Hi - need some urgent advice pls... the hen got off the nest briefly this morning to try to persuade the exisiting 6 chicks out into the run, and I could see at least one dead yellow chick in the nest, and possibly 2 black ones but hard to tell with these. There are still 2 or 3 eggs not yet hatched. She's gone back to the nest now because only 2 chicks would join her, so she's sitting on everything again including the dead ones... Should I be moving her so I can remove the dead chicks? It can't be healthy for the others sleeping on top of dead siblings, but I don't want to traumatise the mother hen unless it's necessary...??

[Nicos]

PersonallY?

I'd stick my hands under her and gently lift her up. Then with one hand pull out the dead ones and any shells remaining- leaving the unhatched eggs .

If she only left the nest for a short time ( an hour -or more-if the wather is as warm as here) then the eggs may still be viable.
I've had chicks hatch 36 hrs after the first one in the same clutch.
She'll know when to abandon the eggs.( one hopes!)
Have you got chick crumb for the babies? ( Agrial)
A shallow dish of water - like a ramekin with stones in it 1/4 full and a couple of handfuls of crumb and layers pellets for mom left right next to them may encourage her to sit a little longer. ( make sure mom hasn't pooped in the nest - that'd need removing too!)

If mom is calm enough to lift up, try lifting out the remaining eggs gently and tapping them gently with a finger nail. You may hear a gentle tapping or chirping...or not!

[kathyd]

Thx Nicos. Been back to look and she'd got all 6 chicks off the nest and under her in the run - clearly she didn't like being in there with the dead one... I removed everything I could - only one dead chick and 4 unhatched eggs, plus poo - not perfect, but much better than before. The 4 eggs are cool but not stone cold. I've put them all back but she's showing no interest - to be honest she'd rather take the 6 of them outside in the sunshine now. Sadly the outside space isn't ready yet though, so she'll have to put up with indoors for a bit longer . I tapped the eggs but heard nothing. 3 feel quite heavy, one lighter (relative to the other 2 banty eggs). I'll leave them for now but if she doesn't go back to them soon is it worth putting them in my electric propogator?? None of the home comforts, but nothing ventured nothing gained? Or is it a waste of time? When do I assume they're not going to hatch and move them out completely? The first banties hatched the day before yesterday. One remaining egg is a full sized one.

[Nicos]

I doubt she'll go back on the eggs now.
An electric propogator won't have humidity control nor turning facilities.
You could try it for 24hrs- you never know!

My last clutch had 3 abandoned eggs ( 2 live chicks) Mom is very experienced so I accepted her choice and removed the cold eggs. Sadly one of them had started chitting- but no sound/movement so I presumed it had died.
Survival of the fittest etc!
Did't check to see what had been going on inside.

If you do propogate and get a hatching, they'd be enough of the same age to sneek a chick under her wing at bed time.

let us know how you get on!

[kathyd]

Well she's still not been back, and the eggs are pretty much cold, so I've put them in the propogator just so I know I've tried.. I'm not expecting anything to happen, but it's made me feel better . I'll dribble water in occasionally, but it's not thermostatically controlled and certainly doesn't have turning facilities (!), so... I'll roll them around a bit now and again, but it's not looking good for them. However, since she's managed 6 successfully, I'm going to assume it's not because she's a bad mother .

A query - I'm almost certain there were 12 eggs initially. There are 6 live chicks, one dead one and 4 unhatched eggs... that's 11! So unless I miscounted, or there's something buried deeper in the nest, we appear to have lost an egg! Any ideas?

[RichmondHens]

They can get lost in the bedding, I've had it happen. Or the eggs gets crushed and the shell eaten or just dispersed in the bedding. You could candle the unhatched eggs to see if anything is still viable but my guess is they aren't anymore and the hen would rather get on with raising the chicks that are up and about.

Congrats by the way on your first hatch.

[kathyd]

Ah OK thx RH. I wouldn't know how to candle an egg to be honest - I've held them up (in the oven!) and tried shining a torch through them, but I can't really see anything. I think I'll just have to leave them overnight and see if anything happens. I agree they're probably just duff eggs. I think 6 is plenty to cope with anyway! She left me on chick duty for a few minutes while she went out of the run to try to dust bathe just outside it, and I could barely keep up with them as they tried to escape to reach her! No wonder she looks knackered all the time, bless .

[OverWyreGrower]

Isn't it great! My 'mummy chick' is getting exasperated with her 6 week olds now - she is torn between bogging off with the other 'grown ups' or staying with her babies!

[kathyd]

Day 3 photos

As promised .

6 hatchlings from 12 eggs. One dead, 4 unhatched. No idea what happened to number 12...