Broody leaving eggs

[Marmalade25]

Howdy, we had a surprise hatch this week in the northeast, a bit chilly for it! Two chicks hatched yesterday maybe the day before, we thought we heard another egg peeping today but the hens (the other hen decided to play mommy when she saw the chicks) have started to leave the nest. I believe they have been going back, but not sure how much. Should I try to emergency incubate this guy? Is there any chance they will still hatch it? I do not have an incubator. Thanks for the help!!!!

 

[sourland]

Staggered hatches are generally a disaster as hens are programmed to leave the nest within 24/36 hours after the first chick hatches. I would take the egg and rig a makeshift incubator to try and hatch it.

 

[ackie]

Leaving it will definitely not work, so yeah, make some type of incubator but that sounds difficult lol or accept that you cant count your chickens before they hatch.

 

[Marmalade25]

Ok, we have the egg (only one still chirping) in a makeshift incubator. It will be a miracle if this works! I have a thermometer but no hydrometer so I am guessing humidity. But chirping is louder and pecking! I read to put pointy side down for hatching if it has been in an incubator but I'm not sure if this applies if it has been in a nest. Thanks for the encouragement to incubate, I don't expect much, but figured we'd give it a try.

 

[Marmalade25]

Also have been playing chirping noises on my phone to encourage it along. I think that's helping.

 

[ackie]

I think it would be air cell up then?

 

[Marmalade25]

Update:
We moved the remaining eggs to a very makeshift incubator (crock pot on low), kept them moist and played chick noises to encourage it. There was only one that had any activity (eggs are dark and thick, we had no luck candling them but this one was chirping!). Activity increased throughout the day, but no external pip by nightfall. Regulating temps was very difficult at best and I knew we wouldn't be able to regulate it through the night so we made the decision to put it back under mom while she stayed put keeping her other two warm at night. Our gamble paid off! It was hatched this morning and joined the other two chicks (hatched 2 days prior) with mom. It has a bulging eye which I am sure was effected by all the disturbance during hatch, trouble regulating temps, and the egg getting moved so much. So far the outcome is better than expected so we'll see what the long term outcome is. Thanks for the input, I am not sure I would have tried without it.