The Broody Hens Last ChanceShould I Step In?

[CoopConnoisseur]

For weeks, my broody hen has been dedicated to her unusual clutchguinea fowl eggs. Shes fluffed, turned, and protected them like they were her own.

On day 25, the first little keet broke free, a tiny bundle of fluff peeking out from beneath her wings. By day 26, another had joined.

But now, its day 28. The nest is still, the remaining eggs silent. I candled a fewsome look questionable, and one has the air sac at the pointy end. No pips, no signs of life. I know guineas can be unpredictable, but Im starting to wonder: Should I wait longer, or is it time to intervene?

That one egg with the misplaced air sac haunts me. Should I try a safety hole, or is that a mistake? Have any of you dealt with a situation like this? I dont want to give up too soon, but I also dont want to risk losing a keet that just needs a little help. What would you do?

[CluckWhisperer]

Sometimes broody hens don't keep perfect conditions for every egg, which can lead to delayed or failed hatches. If you're not sure about viability, try the float test,place an egg in warm water and see if it wiggles. If it moves, there's still life inside! If not, it may be time to call it.

[ClutchCrafter]

If you're seeing no movement, it's possible those eggs aren't viable. But if there's any sign of life, a small air hole near the air sac might give them a fighting chance. Just be sure not to break into the membrane too soon, or you could cause more harm than good.

[GardenGuru42]

For weeks, my broody hen has been dedicated to her unusual clutchguinea fowl eggs. Shes fluffed, turned, and protected them like they were her own.

On day 25, the first little keet broke free, a tiny bundle of fluff peeking out from beneath her wings. By day 26, another had joined.

But now, its day 28. The nest is still, the remaining eggs silent. I candled a fewsome look questionable, and one has the air sac at the pointy end. No pips, no signs of life. I know guineas can be unpredictable, but Im starting to wonder: Should I wait longer, or is it time to intervene?

That one egg with the misplaced air sac haunts me. Should I try a safety hole, or is that a mistake? Have any of you dealt with a situation like this? I dont want to give up too soon, but I also dont want to risk losing a keet that just needs a little help. What would you do?

Have you tried listening for tapping or peeping? If you hear movement inside the egg, that's a great sign! If not, it might be time to check for viability.

[BantamBoss]

If there's no internal pip, I'd wait longer. If there is one but no progress, you can try a safety hole. Just be sure to keep the humidity up to avoid shrink-wrapping the keet inside.

[HatcheryHelper]

Since you've had some hatch already, the rest may have stopped developing at different stages. You can try candling again in a dark room to check for any movement or shadows. If nothing, they might not be viable.

[Eggspeditionist]

I'd wait a little longer before intervening. Guineas sometimes hatch unevenly, and if they're still alive, they may just need more time!

[FeatheredPhilosopher]

Assisted hatching can be risky, but if the keet is alive and struggling due to the wrong air sac position, a carefully placed safety hole could help. Just don't rush the process,guinea keets sometimes take their time breaking out.