[henpecked]

I currenly have 5 eggs under a broody hen.

Well, day 21 passed yesterday without so much as a chirrup, however, this morning, just before I had to leave home for an appointment a chick was just cracking through the shell and chirruping away. Fast forward to this afternoon and I return to find one dead chick on the floor of the hen house.

I'm not sure how viable the 4 remaining eggs are, I'm pretty sure at least 2 are duds, even so I don't want to leave the rest of the egs with broody, if this is what she is going to do, is it possible to bring the remaining 4 eggs in the house, bearing in mind I have no specialist equipment? But could improvise (although I have nothing I could use as a heat lamp).

My chooks are a couple of minutes from the house so I can't keep a constant eye on them.

All ideas greatfully received.

henpecked

[Bodger]

I've had it happen many times before. There's nothing you can do other than remove the chicks as they hatch and rear them under a lamp.
This behaviour is sometimes associated with inexperience pullets but I've had it happen with older hens. I just mark them down as nasty beggars and resolve never to use them as broodies again. If i don't need them for anything else, i've been known to cull them.

Any surviving chicks need to be popped into a small cardboard box and placed under a 100 or even a 60 red coloured light bulb.
You will be able to tell if you have the bulb at the right height in the following way. If the chicks huddle together in the middle, the light is too high. If they go to the corners they are too warm and the bulb needs to go up a little.
Make sure the floor of the cardboard box isn't too slippy for them ofr any surviving chicks might develop spraaddled legs.

Good luck.

[henpecked]

I'd resigned the eggs to being duds last night so was so chuffed when one started to hatch this morning! What do I need in the way of a lamp...grr I live in a small town, although we do have a fabulous hardware shop, but I really don't know what to do, if i do and get a lamp etc, then none hatch, or if I don't and then one does!

She is definitely an inexperienced pullet, didn't expect the broodiness in the first place but she sat for 5 weeks solid...she loves the eggs dearly but clearly not the chicks!

It was a lovely chick, good size, fluffy, fully formed  :cry:

Thanks for the advice

henpecked

[Bodger]

Have you got a red light district ? :oops:  :oops:  :oops:  

I've been known to pinch the bedside lamp and use the gubbins from that.

[henpecked]

What do I need in the way of a lamp...sorry you answered that...I read to fast!

[Bodger]

No ! Its me, I'm too slow.

[henpecked]

Is there any chance i could bring the eggs in before they start to hatch? we are day 21/22 and it's so cold out...or are they better under my lovely lady??

[Bodger]

Leave them under the hen. With a bit of luck, any that hatch at night, she'll leave alone but be ready at the crack of dawn for any that do.

Just before Christmas many years ago, I had a pig give birth to a load of piglets ( What a suprise ) and she was very aggressive with them. I virtually had to pour most of my prestored festive booze down her neck as a tranquilizer. The pig was happy, the piglets survived but we were skint that year and we had a very sobering time.

[Jellyhead]

Also, with any luck there was something wrongwith the chick and thats why she outted it Thats happened to me before. I have also used an ordinary anglepoise lamp over a box to bring the chicks on too Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

[babe]

go to your hardware store and ask for a bottle lamp fitting.

its what i have. i also went to the range and got a hamster cage. its a nice size, plastic with just a metal openy bit on the top. which is great for hanging the light bulb end of the thingy jiggy through

i'll camera it later. same sort of thing on ebay £70, cost me a total of £30.

[Bodger]

Cardboard box ? Nowt. Red bulb ? 60 p  

[babe]

do they have to be red....can chicks tell the difference? or do you just like the colour  

[Vember]

I used an old plastic fish tank tin foil on the inside (seemed to help stop heat escaping ) & a red 60 watt bulb

Sarah

[Bodger]

I don't know the technical reason why but the white lightis not good for them. I actually use a ceramic bulb which gives out no light at all, only heat.

[henpecked]

Nipped down to good ol' Yorkshire Trading (a bit like the Factory Shop) got 2 red bulbs (or lamps as i should say) for 99p, Other Half bought himself a new pair of shoes today so that is the box sorted will dig something more substantial out tomorrow. Candled the eggs (a torch and a peice of card with a circle cut out) 3 definitely duds and 1 possibility.

I'll be up at the crack of dawn!

thanks for all the replies!
henpecked