WendyHodgson Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 (edited) Hi All, I'm new to chicken keeping and hatching eggs, but when my silkies went broody last month, we thought we would let them sit on their eggs and see what happens. Only one of them was fertilised and between the 2 girls, they shared sitting on the egg while the other went out for food etc. I candled the egg 3 times and the chick appears to be growing. Now on day 21, I found the egg abandoned in the box (I had been out for 3 hours) and was cold to the touch. Is this normal, and will the chick have died, not being incubated for 3 hours at most? I candled the egg and can see a black mass taking up most of the egg but no movement. I put it back under one of the girls, who was now just roosting in the nesting box (on nothing) and she is still sitting on it. How long should I wait before assuming the chick dead? Edited November 1, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 It could survive not being sat on for that elngth of time but ist unusual for the broody to abandon it, chances are its not made it so she has lost interest You could try shutting her in the coop with the egg in the dark and see if she settles down on it again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendyHodgson Posted November 1, 2010 Author Share Posted November 1, 2010 Thanks a lot for that. She's sitting on it again. How long to I wait before assuming the chick hasn't made it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 I'd give it at least two more days. I've had chicks hatch under broodies on day 24. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendyHodgson Posted November 1, 2010 Author Share Posted November 1, 2010 Thank you! Fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 You can normally see them wobble and hear them cheep by now. Did you count the day it was set as day 0 Good luck - hope you get a chick over the next couple of days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendyHodgson Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Hi lwescott, Thanks for your reply. I counted the day it was laid as day zero. Have I got it all wrong?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 I counted the day it was laid as day zero. Have I got it all wrong?! Sounds like it... Did she lay it and sit on it straight away, or was there a gap of a couple of days The day that it was set (the day they sat on it and started incubating it) is day zero, then it will take 21 days to hatch Not to worry though, hopefully will just a few days later than you planned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
