[Possum]

Due to social distancing I was not able to get fertile eggs from my usual supplier this spring. So bought some by post and put the broody on them 23 days ago. Found a dead chick yesterday but none of the other eggs have hatched.


I'm not sure what to do with my broody now. She has been sitting on the nest for about 4 weeks. If I take the eggs away will she leave the nest and join the rest of the flock? Or do I need to put her in the "drafty cage" to break the broodiness?

[doganjo]

Leave the eggs there.  There may be more on the wya - 23 days is not the ultimate - I had one lot hatch at 26 days just as I was about to empty the incubator and clean it out I noticed a crack and decided to leave it another day - following morning i had 8 healthy chicks

[Possum]

That sounds good. I will keep my fingers crossed!

[doganjo]

Any idea why the  chick died?  Is your broody experienced?   If you have an incubator you could set it up and put a couple of eggs in there to see if that helped?
To be honest even an airing cupboard might work at this stage

[Fleecewife]

Hold each egg up right next to your ear and you will hear if they are alive, as they would be close to hatching now and making rustling, cheeping sounds. The broody might also be humming to them if they are alive.  Also, give them a slight shake (not a big shake) and if you hear sloshing then you know they are rotten.
If they are truly all rotten/dead, then the broody will give up on her own, as she will not be hearing them cheeping either.  She does not need to be put in the naughty cage, just let her realise the situation herself and she will be back to normal without any stress.  Don't deliberately let her brood again this season.


Often eggs sent through the post get badly shaken about so that the yolk gets tangled up and any embryo damaged. They may have been perfectly good when sent, so not necessarily the breeder's fault. Try to source eggs locally next time and arrange the pick up carefully to account for distancing.

[Possum]

Thanks for all the very helpful advice. She is an experience broody, having raised a brood each year for the last three years. She has been sitting tight and is very protective of the eggs.


I don't know why the chick died. I found it just outside the pop-hole, so presumably she removed it from the nest after it died. It hadn't dried off at all so probably died very soon after hatching. I will take her off the nest tomorrow to see what sort of sounds I can hear from the eggs. Very good information - thank you.


I normally collect fertile eggs from one of two poultry farms which are about 10 miles away. Unfortunately neither of them were trading due to coronavirus and I couldn't find any others nearby.

[Fleecewife]

Have fun getting to the eggs in the morning     I wear welding gloves as I really don't like being pecked.  Let us know what you find. 

[Possum]

Well, not sure what to think. I couldn't hear any pipping or cheaping when I listened to the eggs. Nor could I hear any sloshing. However, Esther was making such a racket because I had taken her off the nest that it maybe wasn't surprising.  I had left one of her own (infertile) eggs under her and that did make a sloshing noise so I removed it.


I'm not very hopeful really. I think they may all have died just before hatching but I will give it another couple of days just in case. 

[doganjo]

It's very faint.  I usually stick my finger in my other ear.     If she's still hopeful so should you be I think.

[Possum]

So- my broody has been sitting on these eggs for four weeks.  I really can't see that they are going to hatch now. I have listened to the eggs again (with my finger stuck in the other ear  ) and I can hear neither cheeping or sloshing. I am even more convinced that they must have died just before hatching. One did manage to hatch but was not strong enough to survive.


It has occurred to me that Somerset has had large variations in temperature in the last month. From -1C at night to 28C in the afternoon. Although the broody coop is in the shade of a tree, it must have got quite hot on some days. I wonder if Esther has trouble keeping them at the right temperature this year?

[doganjo]

Sadly I think you are right.  I think 28 days is the maximum.  If you aren't squeamish you could open one or two and see what stage they were at, but make sure there aren't any chips or cracks - although it's not liekly now.

[Possum]

I partially opened one. The chick was almost fully formed although there was still a lot of clear fluid around it so probably a couple of days from hatching.


I encouraged Esther to leave the broody coop yesterday and she has gradually rejoined the flock. Although still clucking like a mother hen so I guess her hormone levels haven't gone back to normal yet.

[doganjo]

That's sad. so sorry you've wasted 28 days

[Possum]

Well, these things happen. It was good to have the support from you and Fleecewife. It is Esther we should really feel sorry for. All those weeks sitting on the eggs and then no chicks at the end of it. She is still looking rather confused..........

[doganjo]

  for Esther

Better luck next time.  With restrictions relaxed in England you might be able to get eggs locally from now on