Nesting Hens & Hatching

tristanlewis

Hatching
Mar 29, 2016
2
0
9
Howdy and thanks for reading.
Firstly I am new to breeding and know I've done a few things wrong.
Firstly I had a hen sitting on some eggs as she was broody and I thought yeah why not she was broody last year I will allow it to run a natural course, who doesn't love chicks. I then went away for a few days and came back to 2 hens sitting on double the eggs. 12 eggs all up.
They are sharing a nesting box and I've noticed they pinch each other's eggs when they hop off for water etc.
My issue is the time line of what to expect with chicks hatching.
We went away again and I estimated that the first batch would likely hatch while away so made sure food water etc would be waiting incase this happened. When I came home yesterday there was one happy chick and one dead in the shell that was in half. I also noticed one egg had a tiny hole and pecker sticking out and left it to hatch
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. This morning it is alive and well sitting with the other hen.
I am now left with 7 eggs that I'm not sure about? I am hoping that only one hen hops off eggs in the next day and the other stays sitting.
Next time. I will seperate hens into brooding boxes that I now have set up.
Why do you think the chick died?
How long do I leave the hens sitting for?
I have also separated the other hens to stop them laying in this box. And will re-open door so mum can introduce chicks soon. Is there a best time?
Thanks heaps.
 
I do not have enough experience with the rest, but I can tell you chick's die. Most likely this one just did not form correctly in the egg and was not strong enough to leave the shell. This is very normal.
 
Thanks for there reply. So if this is the case and i am around home would it be ok to help it on the final stages? It seems to have got so close
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Some do, I will look for the thread about it. From what I understand, usually the reason for a failed hatch is an improperly formed bird. So at least half the time, even if you save the chick, the chick ends up dying. But yes sometimes the failed hatch is just rotten luck and you get a perfectly healthy bird.
So go into the save with the knowledge that you might still loose the chick even if you do everything right, or need to put the chick down.
 

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