Chicks?

[Crystal 54]

I have some questions. On September first my hen started setting on about 20 eggs. Now it's September 23 and no babies. Where I live the weather hasten kinda moody. Sometimes it is warm and sometimes it gets kinda chilly. I was wondering if the weather could change when the eggs would hatch?

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. Your hen is very well insulated with feathers and should be able to keep the eggs adequately warm even if the temperatures cool down (as long as it doesn't drop below freezing), but my biggest concern is the number of eggs under her. She has to be able to cover all of them with her body. I always limited the number of eggs that I allowed my hens to sit on to a dozen, so I would take about 8 of those eggs (the ones on the outer perimeter) out from under her. Also make sure that she has food and water very near the nest box. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your hatch.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

That is a lot of eggs. She may not have been able to keep all of them properly warm. However not all eggs hatch at 21 days. They can take many days later. You might take an egg out and candle it to see if there is any growth. Mark this egg and perhaps candle another just to be sure.

Give her a few more days. Good luck and I hope you get some chicks soon!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! X3, you might want to candle some eggs to see if they have developed/ were fertile. Even with a delayed hatch if she probably was not able to cover them all adequately, 23 days is pretty late for them not to have started hatching at all if you are sure of the date she started sitting.

 

[drumstick diva]

Maybe your rooster was just "shooting blanks." How many hens do you have per rooster?

 

[Crystal 54]

Drumstick diva I have a total of four chickens. One rooster & three hens. I have not had a chance to candle them. I am going to try tomorrow.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help

The above posters have given your good advice.

 

[LIChickens]

Welcome to BYC!

You will find a lot of good information here. Keep on asking questions and you will get many good answers.

You may also want to read the FAQ below.