Colorado

[Ashdoes]

What day did she start sitting on them? The day after that is day one. Yes, you should candle them. Try to figure out if there's any movement. Any number of things can effect the outcome for a broody. We had one broody, all the other hens messed with her so much, her eggs got scrambled and nothing hatched.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Okay so question on hatching eggs (not incubators, but with a hen sitting on them). I got eggs from two members. The earliest egg was laid was the 19th and then the rest the next day up for a couple days. Anyways, she's been sitting on them faithfully and religiously and not moving unless I make her. We have not had any peeping/cracking or anything and we hit 21 days on Friday. Is this normal? Should I pull the eggs and candle them (I hadn't done that yet)?

I would give it 48 hours after day 21 and then check them out. I would think by now you could check them. Either candle them or do a water test. (only if there are no holes or cracks)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ng-egg-viability-for-late-or-overdue-hatching

 

[Debbie82]

As soon as I got them home from everyone…. So I want to say on the 21st and then the 22nd. We've been keeping the 2 hens separate since she started sitting on them because the other hen would push her way into the box to lay her eggs.

What am I looking for when I candle them? Just sit them on an empty toilet paper roll and put a flashlight underneath it in the dark correct?

 

[Debbie82]

Actually the 23rd and 24th are the days I got the eggs (I just double checked my messages to get accurate dates) and put them under her, so we're not quite at 21 days yet and are sitting pretty on day 17/18.

 

[jime]

You still fine then I will not touch them now.

 

[Debbie82]

I still have to cut a door into the side of the coop for access to the run. If I take the saws-all to that wall (it's adjacent to the nesting box, but not the wall the box is sitting on), do you think it will disturb the eggs or should I wait until they've hatched? I have half the coop chicken wired off to keep the other hen out and when "mama" wants to get up to dust bathe I open one of the double doors for her to let her out and back in. That half and the run was for mama and the chicks to be in until the other hen (who gets free range access all day long) got used to the babies and they are old enough and big enough to free range with the big girls.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

x2 this late in the game it's best to play it safe and just leave them. Hens are pretty good at "knowing" most times if they're a dud. Good luck, keep us updated

 

[suncatcher]

"So... I went to Big R to get my husband a replacement BR and ended up coming home with 7 chicks. lol! (who's surprised? no one!)
These were from a mixed bin so breeds are strictly guesses:
2 BR?, 2 EE, 1 SS?, 1 SLW, and 1 unknown chipmunk. The SLW was a freebie from the straight run bin because the lady thought they looked cool and wanted to know what it was so she wants me to report back. I had never seen one with white shoulders before so I wasn't 100% sure it was a SLW so I just said ok. Who's going to turn down a free chick!? lol Hopefully it's a girl. I'm pretty sure it is because it has a flat comb with no ridges.
I looked up the hatchery these guys came from.
Choices for barred chickens: BR, Barred Leghorn (hadn't heard of this variety before), California Grey, and cuckoo maran
Choices for chipmunks: SS, LBL, Dark Cornish, golden lakenvelder, and silver leghorn"

All such cuties!!!! What hatchery does Big R buy from?? Privet in NM?

 

[suncatcher]

Quote:
Agree, I have had some hatch on day 25!!! Yep, late bloomers.

 

[Ashdoes]

If you're only at day 17/18 you've got quite a while longer before needing to worry. I'd leave her alone at this point. As for drilling, a loud noise like that might make her run, and that would be very bad. Leave the door till the chicks are around 5 days.
I'm sure she'll have a great hatch, if she's been as dedicated as you said. Besides our one that messed up 12 eggs, broodies have been our best hatchers.