Day 21 tomorrow and still no "pips" today?

[Flutterbee]

So my hen, Edna, is sitting on a clutch of nineteen eggs (I didn't realize she was on so many until she was off eating for about three minutes today). While she was being grumpy, I went and checked on the eggs. No one has any pips in them yet and now I'm starting to worry. Could they all have been dead? Several were alive a few days ago when I candled. When does pipping occur? Could the fact that she has so many eggs mean the their development has been delayed and I could be looking at a later hatch?

 

[bobbi-j]

Yes, it's normal. 21 days it a guideline, not a hard and fast rule. Relax, step away from the broody, and let her do her job. It's really best not to fuss with them - especially around hatching time. They prefer to be left alone.

 

[hobomom]

(This is hobomom's daughter, I have her permission to post from her account.)

I second bobbi-j, chicks don't always hatch exactly at twenty-one days - sometimes it can take more, sometimes less. I would give them another three or four days to hatch.
And while I'm on the topic, I would like to mention that you shouldn't handle eggs 72 hours prior to hatching. At this point the chicks are moving into position for hatching and handling the eggs can hurt them.

 

[MeepBeep]

And while I'm on the topic, I would like to mention that you shouldn't handle eggs 72 hours prior to hatching. At this point the chicks are moving into position for hatching and handling the eggs can hurt them.

I beg to differ, gentle handling IMO will not hurt eggs even up until hatch time, I regularly candle and handle eggs on the last few days, even after they external pip and sometimes after... Have you ever monitored how a brooder bird handles eggs, or what happens when the first chick hatches? Brooders have no idea what hatch day is or when it's 72 hours before hatching they flip, turn and rotate the eggs up until the second they hatch just like any other day, and they are not even always gentle about it... Also the first chick out always runs around bulldozing every other egg in the clutch, especially in an incubator... There is no 72 hour lock down, no handle period in nature...

In my experience if the egg if viable 3 days before hatching I have not personally seen any ill effects that could be contributed to gentle handling even that late...

 

[16 paws]

Here is one of the three chicks, Winifred, with her mother, Edna. <3

What a great shot. I love to see a broody with chicks. Nothing more natural. I have a banty buff Japanese sitting on 8 eggs and they are due to hatch on Tuesday! Cant wait to see them....
Congrats
Marie

 

[Flutterbee]

Does anyone have any advice? Is it normal for chicks to take a little longer than twenty one days to hatch?

 

[Flutterbee]

I was observing her nest while she was off and it just made me worried when no one seemed to have any pips. Thank you so much for the information, it's been years since I've had chicks hatch and I don't remember much of what happened when it did.

 

[16 paws]

I was observing her nest while she was off and it just made me worried when no one seemed to have any pips. Thank you so much for the information, it's been years since I've had chicks hatch and I don't remember much of what happened when it did.

Mine have all been bantam eggs and they always seem to pip before day 21. My last hatch (which was 2 days ago)one pipped on day 19 and was hatched by day 20. The other egg piped on day 20 and hatched on day 21.
I do believe that bantie eggs hatch a little sooner than standard sizes chickens. Something will happen real soon I bet.

marie

 

[Flutterbee]

Mine have all been bantam eggs and they always seem to pip before day 21. My last hatch (which was 2 days ago)one pipped on day 19 and was hatched by day 20. The other egg piped on day 20 and hatched on day 21.
I do believe that bantie eggs hatch a little sooner than standard sizes chickens. Something will happen real soon I bet.

marie

Yeah I always had bantams hatch or part bantams, this is my first "normal size" chicken hatching. I think the fact that she's sitting on so many eggs might have a big impact on it as well.

 

[ndstructable]

I am currently incubating/hatching 31 eggs. Aug 17 was day 21 and twenty of the eggs hatched through out the day. I have eleven now left and no sound or movement on day 23. How long should I wait till I give up on them?