[Sudanpan]

After the success of one of our Copper Marans hatching out a couple of chicks in early Sept (and the chicks are growing well    ) one of the other marans went broody and hatching day is upon us.


Today I found 1 egg out of the nest, there was a hole where the chick beak was poking through, but nothing more. The hen is still very much sitting on the nest and I am wondering if this egg got displaced as the chick was trying to hatch out, rolled out of the best and then got chilled to the point where the chick died  [size=78%] Is this likely?[/size]


So, I have remedied the situation by piling more bedding up around the nest so that another egg can't roll out - the hen decided to nest on the floor of the hutch.


Last time I checked she was sitting on 9 eggs, but I have no idea what the timeline of those eggs were.


So, fingers crossed over the next 24hours or so 

[madchickenlady]

Should be due around same time hope the other nine are hatched successfully! They are lovely birds aren't they,

If the egg did get cold the chick will die. Did you check this was the case?

 

[Stereo]

Maybe she knew it was no good and rejected it. They are pretty clever. Or maybe she's nuts. They are also pretty stupid. Good luck. Nothing better than the sight of a mother hen trotting around with a gang of chicks.

[HesterF]

Still worth tucking them back under. I had a few go cold from dodgy broodies that then hatched in the incubator later. Good luck!

H

[Sudanpan]

I didn't try and put the egg back under the hen - it (the egg) was really cold so it could have been out of the next for a few hours at least. There was no sign of life from the chick in the egg at all, no movement, sound or movement of the beak. I therefore assumed it was already dead.
Hopefully there might be some viable hatching going on tmorrow 

[Victorian Farmer]

i never let them hatch i put dummy eggs under .The incubate hatches them i then sex and put 5 under in the dead of night .In the morning all is well .

[madchickenlady]

I had a half hatched chick which when I found it was cold and lifeless, I peeled the remaining shell of and saw the eye move below the lid, I breathed on it to warm it up and it revived nicely with no ill effects. Now aged six months it has repaid me by being a cockerel, oh well!!

[madchickenlady]

How are your eggs going, any luck?

[Sudanpan]

How are your eggs going, any luck?

Well - still not 100% sure what is going on. The hen, Demi, has been sitting very tight on the nest over the last 3 days, any attempt to investigate results in her growling at me, fluffing up her feathers and then doing peck attacks in a very clear message of 'back off'! However I am pretty certain I have heard some cheeping coming from under the wings so I 'think' there is at least 1 chick there.


Hopefully she will finally come forth and I will get a chance to clear out the nest debris - but I don't want to piss her off at the moment!


Will keep you posted