day 21 is today....help...

[amynbrent]

Today is day 21 for my egg. That is if you count the day it's laid as day one, if not then tomorrow is day 21. What am I looking for? Is my hen going to act different? Do I look under her to check the egg? I dont want to disturb her. She is actually on 3 eggs, the other two I dont know when they are going to hatch because I didnt even know she was on them, but they are good eggs. This is my first time and I dont want to kill the little one!

 

[jen5680]

Did you ever candle it to see if was developing?

 

[amynbrent]

Yes the little one was moving all around last week. The other two had just started developing

 

[HEChicken]

You don't count the day it was laid - that is day 0. So for that egg, day 21 would be tomorrow. To be honest, I wouldn't "look for" anything but would just leave Mama Hen alone to do her thing. If the egg is close to hatching, she is probably in henny "lockdown" and disturbing her or the egg at this point is the best way to ensure hatch doesn't go smoothly.

 

[amynbrent]

Thanks...I figured to just leave her. I tried to seperate her from the flock when I realized she was sitting on the one but she freaked out so I put her back in the nest box. She's in a coop with 39 others and I dont want this little guy killed. It's all new to me and I'm sure she will protect...but this is all new and I want to make sure i'm doing it right.

 

[Rhondax6]

We lost our first baby ever a few days ago to another hen. It was heartbreaking especially after losing seven hens to a fox a month ago. We picked up the broody hen, nest, eggs and all and brought her inside in a guinea pig cage (she's a bantam so has plently of room). I figured no matter what she had a better chance at a live baby if we moved her. She freaked out for about 60 seconds, the settled right back in. I'm so glad we moved her. Good luck!

 

[amynbrent]

I thought she would adjust to the move but she just kept slamming to cage and flapping all over it. I left here there for about 45 mins and she wanted no part of it. I thought for sure that she would abandon the egg but she didnt and it still developed ...then even claimed 2 more from my other hen

We'll see, I hope it all works out.

 

[Rhondax6]

Oh dear...... Just keep a close eye on her if you can and what will be will be. : fl Good luck. Can't wait to see the photos!

 

[Gypsy07]

Don't count the days too closely, a broody hen isn't as precise as an incubator! Having done loads of incubator hatches and always had the chicks pop out on day 21 or 22 at the latest, I was really worried when my first ever broody hen got as far as day 25 before a single egg pipped. I guess she wasn't sitting on those eggs just as much as I thought she was those first few days! Happily, she did end up hatching out three healthy chicks, all late on in day 25...