Unhatched Egg Dilemma


8 Years
Mar 30, 2011
We've had a tragedy. Sure enough, Banty abandoned the nest-- leaving Esther Mary's egg to grow cold... I'm so sad... I really, really wanted to hatch one of her eggs, because she's my old gal (4 1/2) and a fabulous layer, still, and the nicest personality of my flock! So we got only 3 chicks, instead of 4....

I don't know how much longer sweet ole Esther will continue to lay, so I'm wondering whether I could ask a HUGE favor. Would those of you who have an incubator be willing to try to hatch one of her eggs with your next batch? I would pay you... I would love it if several of you would be willing, in hopes of getting one hen. You could keep the resultant chicks, or I can take them back. I would so love for Esther Mary's genes to go on.... And see what they look like mixed with my rooster's. I would pay you well for this favor....

Any chance the egg still might hatch? I'm holding it next to my warm abdominal skin right now. It has a slight peck hole on it, but I think the Banty did this as I was taking it out of the nest. It was quite cold. And yesterday I noticed it was near her tail, not warm at all under her, as she was devoting her energies to keeping the 3 live chicks warm under her breast.

Day 2 of the staggered eggs did hatch. All 3 chicks are healthy and adorable, eating their first meal of medicated chick starter and water. Water spilled into the chick starter, making it soggy. Is it okay for them to eat it that way?

Also, do you suppose I should crack the unhatched egg open to see what sort of development it had? I know that doing so will probably cause me great grief, but I guess it would be good to know whether it was a viable embryo. If so, how soon should I do so? I keep hoping it still might hatch. It was due to hatch today.

Sadly, there had been another of Esther's eggs under the hen, that I had placed there on Day 1. It had rolled out one day, and I assumed it was cold, that I had had too many eggs under her (6 at that point-- following my friend's recommendation). So I had removed it from the nest. That as about Day 8 or so. Had I left it, it well might have hatched with her her Day 1 batch. Drats!

I didn't realize at that point that eggs can hatch even if they aren't sat on for up to 8 hours, and I still had plenty of eggs under her at that point.

A second egg rolled out later, from another hen, and I removed it, also, I thought for sure she could hatch 4 eggs just fine, but I guess the staggered bit was too much for her, new Mom that she is.

I'll bury the embryo or embryo-less egg, whichever, in my pet cemetery. Rest in Peace, sweet little Merry Mary!

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