Author Topic: What now??? (Read 1780 times)

Coeur de Chene · « **on:** April 25, 2014, 08:15:04 am »

After a few shandies at a neighbours house one evening 3 weeks ago, we stumbled home clutching their homemade egg incubator and 10 eggs. I had absolutely no faith in this converted coolbox but youngest son has dutifully turned the eggs and with careful positioning of a sleeping cat, managed to regulate the temperature.
He woke me at 4 this morning to tell me that we had chicks! 2 so far but 2 more cracked eggs...But they've been sat a while, should I help them out??
And what now? The neighbours said at the time that they can stay in there for 36 hours- without food and water? Then into a box with a heat lamp. The neighbours left for their holiday early this morning and are not answering texts. I am cruising the internet for info, but would really appreciate some TAS commonsense!

bloomer · « **Reply #1 on:** April 25, 2014, 08:21:22 am »

get a box and a warming lamp if you don't have a warming lamp a good normal lamp will do but it needs the old kind of bulb that gets hot!!!

hang it in such away as to create a warm area in the bottom of the box for the chicks to snuggle in.

you need chick food for them asap but short term mashed up hard boiled egg will do fine...

a shallow dish of water is also required (shallow so they don't drown)

we have only incubated once but this is what we did and we raised all 5 that hatched to adulthood...

Coeur de Chene · « **Reply #2 on:** April 25, 2014, 08:34:13 am »

Thank you! Have put in a bottle top of water and am boiling eggs as I type...

bloomer · « **Reply #3 on:** April 25, 2014, 08:41:02 am »

for the warming lamp height is best calculated on trial and error if the chicks huddle together for warmth its to high up (they're cold) if the chicks are moving away from the hotspot (when sleepy) then its too low (warm), dont worry about them moving away when they are exploring the box etc, they will come back to the warm bit for sleepy time!!!

Coeur de Chene · « **Reply #4 on:** April 25, 2014, 08:54:56 am »

Should I be helping the broken eggs to hatch? 1 of them has been cracked for hours and though I can see movement occasionally, its not making much headway.

bloomer · « **Reply #5 on:** April 25, 2014, 08:57:59 am »

i don't know sorry

i believe there are varied opinions on that, some say if its not strong enough to get out on its own you don't want it, others say if its been forever give it a gentle hand...

Coeur de Chene · « **Reply #6 on:** April 25, 2014, 09:00:45 am »

That's what I've been reading, thanks anyway

Stereo · « **Reply #7 on:** April 25, 2014, 10:07:46 am »

We give them 24 hours before helping. Sometimes they get shrink wrapped as the membrane dries out. But if you help too soon you risk hurting them as they will still be attached. Don't panic is the main thing, they can survive quite a while. We've helped out quite a few and all have gone on to be healthy and happy birds.

Coeur de Chene · « **Reply #8 on:** April 25, 2014, 10:29:54 am »

I am panicking calmly!! One of the hatched chicks has pecked at the membrane and there is blood there, though its still cheeping. Will it be very damaged? Should I take them out and put them in another box? I need to go out and buy a second heat lamp to do that, and this being France, I'm too far to get to a shop before they close for lunch... I just couldn't believe that these eggs could hatch with such a Heath Robinson affair and a broody cat on top!