Chicks under broody hatching several days early. Wondering why.

[Mtn Laurel]

My buff orp went broody so picked up local fertile eggs and put under her. Day 21 would be this Wednesday/Thursday. First chick was here, dried off, and hopping around Sunday afternoon! Woke up Monday morning to two more adorable peepers. I went back and re-counted my days. Twice! No mistake there.

Wondering why so early. She's sitting on 10 so we have 7 more to go. We've been experiencing a hot and humid stretch of weather here, could that make several days worth of difference?

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Well, 6 of 10 have hatched and Mom is still sitting on the last four eggs. Not sure why they arrived early but they all appear happy, healthy, and hearty!

 

[cppeace]

Yeah heat can make for an early hatch and hatching a day or even two early isn't that unusual just like a day or two late isn't. 21 is just the average congrats

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are different things that can cause eggs to be early or late. Heredity, humidity, how and how long the eggs were stored before incubation started, and just basic differences in each egg. Bantam eggs often hatch early. The average incubation temperature probably makes the biggest difference but there are a lot of other factors. Two days early or late even under a broody isn’t that uncommon but three is stretching it a bit.

My guess is that the heat has something to do with it but there is something else about the eggs that is also affecting it. Maybe the first ones were stored warm a few days before you started them so the chicks developed some from the heat. That would help explain why there is a big gap between the first and last one hatching. They don’t have to be at full incubation temperature to develop some. They can develop a bit somewhere in the 80’s. Your high humidity should slow them down a bit, not speed them up.

With the hatch stretched out like that I’m glad the hen is staying on to try to finish the hatch. When that first hatched chick gets hungry and thirsty it will tell Mama and she will probably abandon the other eggs at that time. Good luck with the rest of it.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Thanks for the input! In thinking back, it was blazing hot the day I picked up the fertile eggs. It was in the late afternoon and she said she had just gotten the eggs from the nest. She also said she had several broodies at that time, too. Possibly the eggs had been laid the day before and - between the heat and her having broodies - incubation had begun.

I sure hope that Blondie stays on the remaining eggs. She has hatched for me before, is an excellent Buff Orp mom. I've been bringing food and water right up to her to satisfy both her and the babies so she won't leave the remaining eggs. So far, that seems to be working.

Fingers crossed!

 

[cppeace]

They usually will stay on the next 24-48 after hatching begins to give others a good shot.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The hen normally has a pretty good idea when it is safe to come off the nest. When a chick internal pips it starts chirping and Mama will answer back. That’s the chick’s way to tell the hen it is on the way and to not abandon the nest yet. In an extended hatch the hen may take the early hatchers off the nest when they get hungry or thirsty even if another chick is on the way, but they try to stick around if they can. I’ve had broody hens leave the nest within 24 hours of the first one hatching. When I open any eggs left behind there are no live chicks in there. I’ve had some hens wait for three days for an extended hatch. I’ve never found a live chick in an egg after those abandon the nest either but I’d understand that if I did. The system works pretty well.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

The hen normally has a pretty good idea when it is safe to come off the nest. When a chick internal pips it starts chirping and Mama will answer back. That’s the chick’s way to tell the hen it is on the way and to not abandon the nest yet. In an extended hatch the hen may take the early hatchers off the nest when they get hungry or thirsty even if another chick is on the way, but they try to stick around if they can. I’ve had broody hens leave the nest within 24 hours of the first one hatching. When I open any eggs left behind there are no live chicks in there. I’ve had some hens wait for three days for an extended hatch. I’ve never found a live chick in an egg after those abandon the nest either but I’d understand that if I did. The system works pretty well.

What you've described is what I'm seeing right now. 7 of 10 have hatched. While food and water is nearby and the chicks can get to it, it wasn't right next to her. She has actually moved the three remaining eggs closer to the food so that she can sit on them while eating and teaching the babies to eat.

I'm hopeful the final three are still good as it would seem that Mom thinks they are. Today is day #20, we'll see what happens over the next two days. She's a good, good Mom, will certainly give her that!