Day 21 under broody and I can hear cheeping!

[caralouise1974]

How exciting! Our broody BO, Henny Penny, is looking a bit perplexed and nervous of the activity going on underneath her, so I do hope her instinct tells her what to do. She's only 7 months old, and this is her first try.

She went broody nine weeks ago, and after many failed attempts to break her, we finally gave in and bought some fertile eggs from a local farm. We have a mix of blue orpington, cochin (? colour), and black and blue australorp eggs, so I'm very excited to find out which ones have been successful.

How long till we get the chicks, if I can hear the cheeping now? And will it be difficult to tell the breeds apart when they first hatch?

Can't wait!

 

[1lpoock]

Can't wait for the pics!

 

[caralouise1974]

Day 22 - we have an australorp almost out, a blue orp just showing it's beak, and another australorp egg cheeping but unbroken. Haven't managed to examine all of the eggs, maybe only eight of the eleven, but I don't think there's any further activity.

These little ones are very slow - is it normal to be at Day 22 and not have any chicks out yet?!

 

[teddiliza]

My last hatch didn't start pipping until the very end of day 21. Drove me crazy. And they took their time 24-36 hours getting out after they pipped! One had a contractured leg and foot (36hrs) and two had 4 toes on one side and 5 on the other. But they were fine! Even the handicapped one is okay with a special set up, and they are about 3 months old now.

Here's a pic of my chicks that hatched under a broody today plus the first one from the incubator. (All had been in the incubator until 4 days ago, when I gave the broody 4 eggs from my incubator to 'finish' for me.

Japanese bantam daddy, bantam cochin mamas.