Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: bantam novice on August 13, 2010, 17:53
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My silky was sitting well on her eggs up till yesterday. She had food and water and the eggs were due to hatch Sun or Mon.
Today I opened the hatch for her later than usual so she could get out and stretch her legs. She shot out faster than a speeding bullet. When I felt the eggs they were stone cold. :(
I have put the eggs under a warm hot water bottle in the hot cupboard. I have a horrid feeling that none of them will hatch now.
Can anyone advise?
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maybe they aren't viable and she could tell this :(
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I just hope that nothing I have done has disturbed her.
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Well I took the eggs back once they had warmed up and found silky back in the house on one of the nests. I put her back on the eggs and she seemed to settle on them. If they have got cold is there a chance that any might hatch?
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last year one of my broodies got shut out of the coop when the door closed. She was off her eggs for several hours and I still got a good hatch :)
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Fingers and toes crossed then!
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A post script to my last entry;
it turned out that my poor silky was sitting on a bed riddled with red mite. I hang my head in shame :(
On the positive side I put the eggs in a propagator to keep them warm, cleaned the house out, sprayed and dusted with powder. We then dusted Elanor (our silky) and put her and the eggs on fresh bedding. She now seems to be sitting comfortably; however I don't know if any chicks will hatch.
I am hoping that Elanor would not have been so happy to sit back on the eggs if they were all non-viable.
a sadder and wiser bantam novice
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Red mite happens to most of us sooner or later, fingers crossed for a good hatch