Day 22 eggs not hatched

[PrincessTrudeia]

Hi all, I'm hoping you guys have some insight for me. I have a broody hen hatching shipped eggs and so far 2 are hatched. The first hatched day 20, the second day 21. There should be 2 more left to hatch ( out of the 7 shipped eggs, only 4 ended up developing). This is my first time and my hen's first time.

One left has a saddle shaped air cell. How long do I leave them? Will my hen intervene if she needs to? Should I do anything? These chickens are all 'pets' so this hard for everyone here and I'm just trying to research to be prepared for the worst.

Thank you!

These are the hatched chicks. Chocolate Orpington and an Isabel Cuckoo

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I generally let eggs go until day 23 before I remove them, and candle them. I haven't had any be alive at that point. Carefully dispose of any unhatched eggs.

 

[PrincessTrudeia]

I generally let eggs go until day 23 before I remove them, and candle them. I haven't had any be alive at that point. Carefully dispose of any unhatched eggs.

What would I look for candling? They are all dark except for the air cell

Does a float test do anything? I briefly read about that. If the chick is alive the egg will wiggle in the water?

 

[Sonya9]

Question -- Are the eggs all the same breed? Different breeds sometimes have different incubation times.

The hen will not intervene but she will likely leave the nest in the next day or so to care for the chicks. When that happens if the eggs are alive they will die (she will not go back and start sitting). If she leaves the nest you need to intervene immediately to keep the eggs warm until you can determine their status.

Personally I would candle with a light or water candle tonight to see if they are alive just so I could be sure to watch in case she leaves the nest, on the flip-side if they are dead and she doesn't leave the nest in the next 2 days you will need to remove the eggs (if they look dead but I wasn't sure I would put them back under her for another day just in case).

If you want to water candle I just posted info on that in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/has-my-chick-died.1403285/

 

[PrincessTrudeia]

Question -- Are the eggs all the same breed? Different breeds sometimes have different incubation times.

The hen will not intervene but she will likely leave the nest in the next day or so to care for the chicks. When that happens if the eggs are alive they will die (she will not go back and start sitting). If she leaves the nest you need to intervene immediately to keep the eggs warm until you can determine their status.

Personally I would candle with a light or water candle tonight to see if they are alive just so I could be sure to watch in case she leaves the nest, on the flip-side if they are dead and she doesn't leave the nest in the next 2 days you will need to remove the eggs (if they look dead but I wasn't sure I would put them back under her for another day just in case).

If you want to water candle I just posted info on that in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/has-my-chick-died.1403285/

No movement from either of the 2 eggs left. It's day 22, so maybe I will leave them with her a bit longer and check again in another couple days?

 

[PrincessTrudeia]

No movement from either of the 2 eggs left. It's day 22, so maybe I will leave them with her a bit longer and check again in another couple days?

One is chocolate (like the one already hatched) and the other is different from both. A lavender Orpington

 

[Sonya9]

One is chocolate (like the one already hatched) and the other is different from both. A lavender Orpington

Bantam eggs often hatch a day or two earlier than standard chicken eggs which is why I asked.

If her first chicks hatched 2 days ago then she should be getting off the nest to teach them how to drink/eat by tomorrow (with the hot temps chicks definitely need to start drinking). Since the eggs have not hatched and are not moving I would remove them tomorrow as she needs to start taking care of the babies, I would probably water candle again "just in case" but unless you see signs of life it is likely hopeless. You could keep them on a heating pad at 95-98 degrees for another couple of days if you wanted to.

As a side note I usually give broodies with chicks a dish of scrambled egg the morning after the hatch. It gives the mama nutrition and gets her feeding the little ones. If these are your first broody raised chicks and the mama will let you try to handle them and even hand feed them especially this week. They tend to be *very* wild and afraid of people when raised by a hen but you can compensate for that if you bribe/handle them every evening at bedtime (soon you probably won't be able to catch/handle them during the day, but at bedtime it is easy).

 

[PrincessTrudeia]

Bantam eggs often hatch a day or two earlier than standard chicken eggs which is why I asked.

If her first chicks hatched 2 days ago then she should be getting off the nest to teach them how to drink/eat by tomorrow (with the hot temps chicks definitely need to start drinking). Since the eggs have not hatched and are not moving I would remove them tomorrow as she needs to start taking care of the babies, I would probably water candle again "just in case" but unless you see signs of life it is likely hopeless. You could keep them on a heating pad at 95-98 degrees for another couple of days if you wanted to.

As a side note I usually give broodies with chicks a dish of scrambled egg the morning after the hatch. It gives the mama nutrition and gets her feeding the little ones. If these are your first broody raised chicks and the mama will let you try to handle them and even hand feed them especially this week. They tend to be *very* wild and afraid of people when raised by a hen but you can compensate for that if you bribe/handle them every evening at bedtime.

With them being our pets, we have been in the coop since the first one hatched. All three are eating and drinking the food/water we offer.

 

[Sonya9]

With them being our pets, we have been in the coop since the first one hatched. All three are eating and drinking the food/water we offer.

That is good. My broody is raising 8 week old bantams now and I handled them excessively since hatch. At 8 weeks they are now the tamest chicks I have ever had.

 

[PrincessTrudeia]

There's are the 2 eggs left. I Candled just now. One looks like it has bubbles in it. The other appears liquidy in the air cell?

These didn't move when I water floated them.

I've read about making holes (eggtopsies) which terrifies me, but I would do it if there's a chance to save anything...