keep the membrane moist and chip away the shell in a circle at the big end of the egg. If the membrane dries out it will act like shrink wrap and suffocate the baby. As long as it is cheeping it should be ok... if it stops then I'd just do the deed and open the membrane... no blood i"d get it...
Here in Australia our heritage chickens range from between $40.00-$60.00 each that is vaccinated and point of lay.. I consider it my part in trying to continue the breeds that my great grandmother and great,great grandmother had when they were farming.day old chicks are $12.50 ea and fertile...
I have a coop that is 2 metres long by 2 metres high and have 5 adult heritage hens (which are quite large) with 4 more to be added shortly, The are let out of the coop every day and put themselves to bed every night. My husband works on the deep litter method which has no smell and we used it...
I just finished hatching some Buff Orpingtons and they are gorgeous little things.. one was born with straddle leg but that is weel on the way to being cured now . They aer 4 days old and very healthy so I am very proud of my first effort at being a mummy hen!!!
I have actually just used a 40watt bulb in a desk lamp and that has worked just as well... The chicks are a bit more hardy now and as long as they have water and food they should be fine.. Good luck!!
Hi ,
My name is Julie and I am from Queensland,Australia.
I am married to Robert with 4 adult children and a great niece that we are raising. My husband is an ex farmer and I am a city girl.
I love the different heritage breeds of chickens and they have so much character...each one is...
I have only just put my six week old silky outside during the day but bring her in every night. It is quite cold now in Queensland , Australia but I usually wait until they are fully feathered.
Your advice really helped me... I bought 6 Buff Orpington fertilized eggs and put them in the incubator. Exactly 21 days later (Today actually!) they started to hatch and without the knowledge of keeping the membrane moist I would have lost the lot! As it was only three were viable and so far...