could really do with some advice

[micko and jack]

hi everyone i asked this question last week but got no replys and things have changed a bit

 

i have a hen setting on 2 eggs and no cock with her comes out of the nest eatS drinks and straight back on the eggs which are about 10 days old

i have a pair down on eggs about 3 days while changing the water jack the grandson 18 months old put his hand under a cock (if i put my hand in i get my hand picked and beaten with the wing but  no NOT jack) lifted an egg grandda grandda i looked aroung he put his thumb into the egg i know i know its a lesson learned but i still love jack haha should i

A leave things as they are  1 hen on 2 eggs

   could a hen raise 2 chick on her own ????

   HOW WILL HER HEALTH BE SITTING SO LONG ???

B swap the 2 eggs under the pair and smash the single egg ??

   WOULD THE DIFFERANCES IN TIME WITH THE 2 EGGS HATCHING SOONER BE A FACTOR ??

 

i really could use a bit of advice on this one thanks micko

[oldguy]

this is when a breeding  diary comes in handy, you can always refer to the exact date when the eggs were laid

 

the difference in days between due hatching dates will add even more problems if you swap eggs with the birds and probably result in the loss of all

 

(A) I would take one egg away from the hen making sure the remaining one is fertile, and replace it with a pot egg (prevents the hen from sitting to tight on the one youngster)

 

( leave the one egg under the pair   and add a pot egg to replace the broken egg

 

dont forget to put the pot eggs in your pocket and warm them up before putting them along side the real eggs

 

50% hatching will be better than risking 0%

 

kev

 

[OLDYELLOW]

can float eggs up to a 3 day difference, so too long a time between both sets to change, a hungry / thirsty bird will come off nest to feed but you can always feed the hen thats sitting on its own in its box with a galley pot , the hens health should be fine, the outcome will depend on how well the hen feeds the ybs so feeding her in her box will help

[Guest bigda]

you say  the hen has lost its cock has this cock bred anything for you or won a race if not,  why breed from him,  if thats not the case switch her eggs to  a pair that havent  win anything.