NEED HELP INCUBATING KILLDEER EGGS

[Puddintaime68]

Hello! I need help. Several weeks ago a Killdeer laid her eggs at the edge of the sidewalk running along the side of my mom's house. This is nothing unusual as my mom lives in the country where killdeer are abundant so we put an old bicycle tire around the nest so no one would accidentally step on it. All was well until 5 days ago when we came out in the morning to find one of the four eggs missing and blood and feathers everywhere. There was no sign of Momma or Papa killdeer and the eggs were ice cold to the touch so we figured it was safe to assume that a predator had gotten ahold of them. We put the eggs on a towel in a plastic storage container and set them under a gooseneck desk lamp and adjusted it until we were able to get the temperature stable at 100°. We weren't real confident that they would survive but decided to give them a week or two to see what would happen and then 3 days ago we started hearing chirping coming from all three. Having done some research, we realized that we were in over our heads and if the chicks were to have any chance of surviving, we needed to get them into the care of the local wildlife rescue facility. Unfortunately we were told that they are prohibited by law to take wild bird eggs but if they hatched they could take the chicks. So now we are going to try our best to help them hatch but we don't have an incubator and I'm afraid that we can't provide the proper humidity they need to hatch. Can anyone give me some advice on what to do? They've been chirping for 3, almost 4 days now but have yet to externally pip.

 

[alexa009]

Most people don't hatch killdeer but I would probably increase humidity an extra 10-15 % like you increase it with chickens but you don't have to go with my advice. Sometimes killdeer are brought to the wildlife center of Texas.

 

[Puddintaime68]

Thank you alexa009 for your advice. Do you have any suggestions on how I can increase the humidity? I don't have an incubator, just a plastic box and a desk lamp. I've been able to maintain temp at just under 100° but I have no idea what the humidity is. I took them in the bathroom and turned the shower on nice and hot and let them sit in there with all the steam but I don't know if that's enough humidity or too much... I really don't know if I'm helping or hurting at this point.

 

[ldawntaylor]

Someone in another thread suggested placing a damp rag around - but not touching- the egg. Perhaps that would help.

 

[HuskerHens18]

I used a damp paper towel sitting beside the eggs, but not quite touching the shells. Worked perfect for my makeshift bucket incubator

 

[Puddintaime68]

Someone in another thread suggested placing a damp rag around - but not touching- the egg. Perhaps that would help.

Thank you for the suggestion. Do you know why it shouldn't touch the egg? I read the step by step assisted hatching guide and it said to put the egg back in the incubator ON a damp paper towel after making a small opening in the shell

 

[ldawntaylor]

Maybe it has to do with the difference between being in an incubator and not being in one.

I have heard the chick gets chilled if the damp towel is touching the eggs.

 

[Puddintaime68]

Maybe it has to do with the difference between being in an incubator and not being in one.

I have heard the chick gets chilled if the damp towel is touching the eggs.

Thank you so much for the help. They have pipped and I can see their cute little beaks!

 

[Puddintaime68]

I used a damp paper towel sitting beside the eggs, but not quite touching the shells. Worked perfect for my makeshift bucket incubator

Thank you for your help.

 

[ldawntaylor]

Thank you so much for the help. They have pipped and I can see their cute little beaks!

Seeing the killdeer is one thing I miss about when I lived in Woming.

I hope all goes well.