Any possibility of hatching eggs after 5 weeks?

[coure2011]

I have a bantam hen, who is sitting on around 11 eggs from last 5 weeks. Should I wait more? On end of week4, I thought may be eggs are bad, so I took one of the eggs and break it, but found a chicken inside it which also have some movements!

 

[Rose Quartz]

I have a bantam hen, who is sitting on around 11 eggs from last 5 weeks. Should I wait more? On end of week4, I thought may be eggs are bad, so I took one of the eggs and break it, but found a chicken inside it which also have some movements!

sounds like she might be sitting on some fresher eggs. Is she in a coop with other hens that could be adding to her clutch?

I'd recommend candling (I use the flashlight on my phone) the eggs and marking the ones that have movement in them. So that you can track which ones are growing just in case fresh ones are being added. If you are able to get pictures of the lit up eggs I could give you a guess as to what age they look to be.

eggs that a broodie has been sitting on for 5 weeks total should not be living. That being said it may be possible. But it's far more likely that the eggs your hen has are younger than the full 5 weeks.

By the way, welcome to BYC.

 

[coure2011]

Hi Rose,

thanks

Although the broodie hen is living with other hen in the same coop, but no other hen is laying eggs, they are quite younger! I counted 11 eggs on the very first day when she start to sit.

I will try to mark the eggs having movement! One thing is that weather here now a days is around 1-10 Centigrades!

thanks again!

 

[coure2011]

I checked the eggs, there are something inside it but no movement at all.

 

[PouleChick]

Sounds very unlikely unless eggs been added. Where are you located? My silkie went broody just as the temps plummeted and she just couldn't keep the eggs warm enough and abandoned them in 2 lots over a few days. She is an experienced mummy though so knew. I'd take them off her if you are sure and break her broodiness, 5 weeks is a long time to be broody - for her health I'd be getting her up.

 

[coure2011]

Hi PouleChick!

How can I break her broodiness? I think I shld do it now (with a heavy heart )

 

[PouleChick]

Hi PouleChick!

How can I break her broodiness? I think I shld do it now (with a heavy heart )

Well my girl who hadn't even been on them as long I just removedthe eggs and shoo'ed her out and that was all I needed to do. I guess it depends on your bird though. Most people recommend putting them in a wire bottomed cage as you need to get the heat out from under then and that breaks them. As she hasbeen sitting so long I'd probably just try removing the eggs and blocking her from going to where she has been sitting and see how that works for you. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[Rose Quartz]

I checked the eggs, there are something inside it but no movement at all.

This egg isn't alive anymore. looks like it got to somewhere between day 10 and 14. Definitely no living chick in that one.

 

[coure2011]

Wuhoo! Good news

Today, with a very heavy heart I finalized that I will end her broodines, but then I found a very little chick under her Looks like of age of 1 day....

I think I shld not have put more than 5-6 eggs under her, 11 eggs are too much for this small bird.

The screenshot I shared are of the eggs of outer-region! I think the inner eggs still have chances of hatching...

thanks again for your support!

 

[PouleChick]

but then I found a very little chick under her Looks like of age of 1 day....

Wow that is a bit of a miracle - pics please maybe the cold weather has just really slowed development