Hen got trapped away from nest (possibly all night) at 18 days...eggs went cold...are they dead?

[Amberly98]

So, we are new this whole thing, but I had a australorp go broody on me so we decided to give her a couple fertile bantom eggs to hatch. All has gone very well to this point. We have her separated and she is a devoted mom. She only leaves the nest once a day to peck around the yard, get a drink and some food then right back on the nest. We have skunks and cats in our area so I lock up the coop at night. When I went out there this morning I noticed she was not on her nest (which was very strange)....I looked around the coop and found her trapped in the corner under a spool and chicken wire. I freed her and she immediately went back to her nest and onto her eggs. Before she got totally settled I put my hand under her and felt the eggs. They were cold to the touch! She must have been pretty stressed because she fell asleep on her eggs within about 10 min. The eggs are 19 days today so I don't want to candle them....but I am not sure how long during the night she was trapped so I don't know how long the eggs were without heat. Last night our temperature here dropped to 58....my kids have a count down calendar for the chicks and we are so excited to be able to hatch some out...but now I am very worried that they may have died.

Has anyone had this happen? Is there any chance they are still alive? Should I candle them tonight (they are 19 days today)? Should I leave them under her and just see what happens come Saturday (when they are 21 days)? I am so upset.....we were are so close to hatch day!!!

 

[Kiki]

Check this out:
Five Tough Chicks and TWO Amazing Embryos!

 

[Amberly98]

Thank you KikisGirls....I read your post and now have hope! I will just let them be under mama hen and see what happens? If nothing by the 22nd day I will take a look and see what is going on with the eggs.

 

[Kiki]

Just waiting a couple extra days won't really hurt anything.
Next time you should probably candle though, might save you some stress.

 

[Amberly98]

Very upsetting update! So that night 2 of my Bantom eggs started to pip....we were so excited! One unzipped over the night and was a fluffy chick in the morning the other one was still working heard. The hole was getting bigger and the membrain was starting to dry out so I thought I would keep an eye on it. Late in the morning my kids wanted to hold the hatched chick. This may have been my mistake. Maybe we disturbed mom to much, but when we tried to put the chick back she attacked it. I quickly graves it then she grabbed the still hatching chick under and violently pulled it from the shell and shook it. I grabbed the wet chick...it gasped three times and then died. The kids were so upset! I didn't know what to do. I told my daughter to hold the alive baby chick while I rubbed the dead one trying my best to get it to come back. Sadly it did not. I examined the egg and the yolk was completely absorbed and there was no blood....so maybe the mom broke its neck? After about 10 min I snuck the still live one under mom and she was fine. I felt horibel and my kids were devastated. Did I stress mom out? Didni handle the chick too much? Were they too early (hatched at 19 days). It got worse she I got home from work and found my one live chick dead....my hear just sunk! No sign of violence....just dead. So, what now? Do I allow this new mom to try again? Did the night off the nest change something? Do I allow her to try again? I am sooooo very bummed for me and the kiddos! So very disappointing.

 

[Grub Digger]

Some hens are homicidal broodies, I wouldn't let her hatch any more. Next time she goes broody put her in a pen or cage with no bedding until the broody spell passes. Sorry to hear about your loss.