Your chicks are old enough to be without a heat source especially in the temps you mentioned. How easy your integration will be, will all depend on your hen's attitude. You describe her as broody (not sure if that was just an expression). Some broodies will collect all chicks in sight while...
There are some details to study before incubating. Use
eggs that are less than 2 weeks old. Place all eggs to be incubated in at once. Temperature is critical and humidity is important.
Are you saying these were sold as Indian runners? And now you are trying to figure out what breed? I would guess mixed breed, they have a very unique pattern. The dark head is likely a drake. The sound will also help determine gender. Drake's have a more raspy sound and hens are more...
Why do you want to know if the eggs are fertile? The blood streak mentioned above would only be if the is kept warm for more than 24 hours. Room temperature or cooler will most certainly keep chicks from growing in the eggs.
If you want chicks in the future the eggs need to heated in an...
Although your pup's breeds were originally bred for rodent control, that doesn't mean a pup with that breeding is going to instinctively kill the rats and only rats.
It sounds like the pup has a good prey drive as can be common with this breeding. You will need to spend a considerably amount...
Any chance of hidden nests?
I realize you did get eggs the first days so they might have learned where to lay or maybe not??
Other thoughts ...the break from shock is normal. Is the reason for frozen treats high temps? The heat could be extending the break
Some eggs you have to just wait and see what they do. No harm leaving them in the incubator as long as they don't smell. You can also compare the overall look to an egg you know is good if the shells are to dark.
Depending on your flock dynamics you can just remove the cardboard and let them get down when the time is right. Otherwise tonight she will likely stay with them when you take them down.
A chicken can still become broody even without eggs to sit on. I'm guessing that is what is going on.
It is normal for a hen to ignore chicks that she doesn't consider hers. Sometimes broody hens can be quite mean to chicks they didn't hatch.
Sounds like she is actually doing pretty well...
I think I still see movement.
When counting days count 1 after she sat for 24 hours (with a possible short break). Don't count the day they were to cool to grow.
Just double checking were both parents mallards or mallard derived?
I live in northwest PA. (Micro ecosystem off lake Erie) Our temps are moderate, so no AC in our house. The humidity in my house is usually over 80 in spring and summer. I don't add any water the first 18 days and the incubator can be as high as 45. For hatch I put in just a bit of water to...
I am not familiar with Malines. Plymouth Barred tend to be good roos, but individual (and certain genetic lines) can vary greatly. You can not count on a dual purpose roo to fight off a fox. They are prey just like the hens. They may help in alerting the hens to head for cover or they might...
Sometimes a mother cat will take time between moving the first kitten and coming back for the rest, but sometimes a mother just moves 1 or 2 and abandons the rest. I have also seen a mother cat move out one kitten and then come back to care for the others in the original spot. Is the mother a...
Number 6 is for sure a pullet. 12 weeks can actually be a challenging stage to tell gender at a glance especially in mixed breeds. Pullets might be starting to get a bit of color, but males may not show male specific feathering yet.
3 and 4 are males if they developed with typical barring. I...
If the cracks are from the ducklings hatching, candeling will show the babies in the air cells.
Even if the cracks are from the predator attack don't give up. Give the eggs time to warm up. Keep the humidity up and see what happens.