So far 4 chicks and 8 eggs unhatched. What to do with the unhatched eggs????
Here are the details: I've got 2 hens sitting on different set of eggs (each hen in its own broody box). The eggs were set at the same time, on the 31st October. 1st chick hatched on the 20th November in the afternoon. Then 3 other chicks followed on the 21st in the morning. Today is 22 November.
So each hen has 2 chicks and a few more eggs unhatched (total of 4 chicks so far).
How long should I leave the hens sitting on the unhatched eggs? Is 48 hours be the norm? Is it counted from the first chick to hatch or the last?
The chicks are getting active and mum hens have been eating from a small dish I placed near her box. Both hens have pooped inside the nest box, towards the end. So I covered the poo with some hay. I would like to put the mums outside in a box in the yard, so they can poop, stretch and eat/drink with chicks, but I also would like to give the unhatched eggs a chance.
I don't have an incubator or other hens broody at the moment.
Any advice appreciated!!!
2 days (48 hours) from the last one to hatch. Personally I would candle the ones that haven't hatched to see if there is anything in them and I would only put the ones back that do.Generally the hens will get up themselves after about this time anyway as the early chicks start to become more active and are hungry (even with a food dish near by)! If one of the hens gets up before the other you can put all the eggs under the one that is still sitting to give them a good chance to hatch.
If you haven't candled before all you need is a small bright torch and a dark room (I use my walk in robe). Put the torch against the fat end of the egg. If there is a chick in there you should see an air pocket and then a more or less straight line at an angle across the egg - if the chick is active you might see movement or hear cheeping. If you tip the egg and fluid moves below that line then the egg is probably rotten. If you have a straight line and tip the egg and no fluid moves move the torch to the pointy end off the egg if this end has air in it or appears translucent then it is likely to be rotten too (but not always - they sometimes hatch from the wrong end). If the whole egg is translucent or has a floating patch when you move it then no chick has developed.
Good luck
