Day 22 and nothing?

[jermoatc]

Today is day 22 of my broody hen setting on her eggs. I got nothing. No pips, no sounds, but she is sitting tight. Should I worry yet?

 

[Tiss]

Have you candled them at all?

 

[jermoatc]

No.

 

[Tiss]

I guess I would carefully take one egg and candle it to see if there's anything developed. My first attempt with a broody, I went 21 days and all the eggs turned out to be duds. I learned my lesson there.

Here's a great thread so you can tell what you're looking for. An LED flashlight in a dark closet should do the trick. I have been able to see best when I form a ring around the top of the flashlight with my fingers, set the egg on it and try to shine the light at an angle through the side with the air.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261876&p=1

Good luck

 

[jermoatc]

UPDATE: Day 23

One chick hatched today.

It was around 11 am. Thank God I was home. My broody was outside during all of the excitement. When she came inside and saw the chick in her nest of eggs she began to peck her violently. I took her away immediately. I had not intended to raise chicks in a brooder but I guess I am now. Out of fear for any other chicks that may hatch while I was gone I removed all of the other eggs (11 of them) and put them in the brooder under a heatlamp in hopes that more would hatch during the day, When I got home at 900 pm none of the other eggs had hatched so I candled them and they were all no good. One chick out of 12 eggs. My hens are still broody. I am going to have to break them now I guess. Is it a problem raising just one chick by itself? I know chickens are social animals, but I dont dare put her back in the coop now.

 

[jermoatc]

bump. any ideas?

 

[Gypsy07]

Yes, it's a bit of a problem raising one chick by itself. They really do prefer other little buddies to human company, so if I were you, I'd either get another couple of chicks from somewhere, or give your one chick away to someone with baby chicks of their own. Lots of people on here do end up raising one chick okay, but it isn't an ideal situation...