3 breeds of eggs- first time hatch / times

[Andie32]

I’ve got one Roo- Americauna. I’ve got 19 hens- leghorns, RIR, and Americauna. This is our first time hatching. I’ve got a RIR and an Americauna setting on 22 eggs. Has anyone had experience with different breeds taking longer to hatch than others?? Also, what’s the earliest you’ve ever seen a chick hatch and survive?? What’s the longest you’ve waited?

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi there Andie. Breed of chick doesn't matter for hatch time, 21 days is the general rule. There are many factors that can have an impact but the broody will typically only wait a day or two for all the eggs to finish hatching before she has to take care of the hatched babies and she'll leave the rest of the eggs.

Hatching too early to survive or a broken egg mid hatch will usually be eaten by the broody. It's not cruel, the dead chick could attract a predator and put the rest of her clutch at risk.

I've left eggs up to day 23 in my incubator before turning it off. Anything that doesn't hatch under the broody I toss when she leaves the nest with her babies.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Andie32]

Hi there Andie. Breed of chick doesn't matter for hatch time, 21 days is the general rule. There are many factors that can have an impact but the broody will typically only wait a day or two for all the eggs to finish hatching before she has to take care of the hatched babies and she'll leave the rest of the eggs.

Hatching too early to survive or a broken egg mid hatch will usually be eaten by the broody. It's not cruel, the dead chick could attract a predator and put the rest of her clutch at risk.

I've left eggs up to day 23 in my incubator before turning it off. Anything that doesn't hatch under the broody I toss when she leaves the nest with her babies.

Good luck with your hatch!

Thanks! I think we had an early hatch yesterday on day 15. No sign of chick anywhere. What looked like a zipped eggshell in the box. Should I be watching periodically for others as well? Or just let nature takes its course?

 

[igorsMistress]

Thanks! I think we had an early hatch yesterday on day 15. No sign of chick anywhere. What looked like a zipped eggshell in the box. Should I be watching periodically for others as well? Or just let nature takes its course?

Yikes, that's super early! I can't imagine a chick would make it and it was probably eaten. Whether you check or not is up to you. I did every few days just to be sure there weren't any new eggs added. Can any others get into the nest boxes to lay when the broodies are out to eat? Are you sure about the set date of the eggs?

 

[Andie32]

Yikes, that's super early! I can't imagine a chick would make it and it was probably eaten. Whether you check or not is up to you. I did every few days just to be sure there weren't any new eggs added. Can any others get into the nest boxes to lay when the broodies are out to eat? Are you sure about the set date of the eggs?

Yes positive about the set date. We collected the day prior so whatever was in there when we came home and the next day, we left alone. Nobody else gets in or out during the day. We open it up late evening around 6pm after everyone is done laying so the can stretch and snack. They stay out for about 10-15min and go right back in and get closed up for the night and next day. We’ve had the same two nests since day 1 and 2. The only reason I think it hatched too early was the way I found an empty, totally clean half eggshell in the box yesterday. No proof of anything else. And according to the pic of the nest and egg count 2 -3 days ago is I’m missing an egg.

 

[igorsMistress]

Yes positive about the set date. We collected the day prior so whatever was in there when we came home and the next day, we left alone. Nobody else gets in or out during the day. We open it up late evening around 6pm after everyone is done laying so the can stretch and snack. They stay out for about 10-15min and go right back in and get closed up for the night and next day. We’ve had the same two nests since day 1 and 2. The only reason I think it hatched too early was the way I found an empty, totally clean half eggshell in the box yesterday. No proof of anything else. And according to the pic of the nest and egg count 2 -3 days ago is I’m missing an egg.

Considering the embryo development at that stage, my bet would be the egg broke when the broody was getting in or out of the nest and she ate it.

 

[Andie32]

Found this in our nest today. Again, nobody else in or out. Still the same egg count. But clearly two different egg colors here, one within the other.