Day 22 Freaking out

[Kayleighsarah55]

Hello all,
I'm a complete newbie to hatching baby chicks. I have a hen sitting on 16 eggs it's now day 22 or 23. One egg hatched on day 21(rough day 21 could have been 20). My hen has not left the nest yet and is still sitting on the remaining eggs. Just wondering if I should move mum to check out the eggs? I'm freaking out a bit - I really hope some more hatch. I did not candle any of the eggs at any stage so I'm not sure how many were fertilized. Any advice would be appreciated. Thankyou

 

[Alaskan]

I would put feed and water directly in front of the hen. (are they in a sheltered place just for them?)

3 days after the first chick has hatched I would make sure the mum is getting the chick to eat and drink. Some will NOT feed the new chick or chicks until all eggs are gone.

So... 3 days after the first has hatched I would take all of the rest of the eggs, and see if the mum will mother the chick. I would candle the eggs and incubate whatever looked good.

If you don't have an incubator, than take the single chick and feed and water it for 2 days... see if you can sneak out half the eggs... see what is what, mark them, put back good ones and then candle the other half. ... again replace good ones.... this is with the hope that in the next 2 days more will hatch, and you can put the now 2 day old chick back with mum...

other choices... do you have other broodies? You could take all eggs, candle and mark the good ones and put them under a different broody. Keep single chick with current mum.

 

[Kayleighsarah55]

I would put feed and water directly in front of the hen. (are they in a sheltered place just for them?)

3 days after the first chick has hatched I would make sure the mum is getting the chick to eat and drink. Some will NOT feed the new chick or chicks until all eggs are gone.

So... 3 days after the first has hatched I would take all of the rest of the eggs, and see if the mum will mother the chick. I would candle the eggs and incubate whatever looked good.

If you don't have an incubator, than take the single chick and feed and water it for 2 days... see if you can sneak out half the eggs... see what is what, mark them, put back good ones and then candle the other half. ... again replace good ones.... this is with the hope that in the next 2 days more will hatch, and you can put the now 2 day old chick back with mum...

other choices... do you have other broodies? You could take all eggs, candle and mark the good ones and put them under a different broody. Keep single chick with current mum.

I do not have any more broody hens or an incubator. I had read somewhere that taking the eggs out from under the hen may cause any viable chicks to become 'shrink wrapped' even if it is just for a short amount of time?

 

[ChicksLoveOregon]

I had a couple bantie hens hatch a clutch of eggs last fall and this is my only experience with hatching eggs. The eggs did not start hatching until day 23. I had pretty much decided that they werent going to hatch by this point. One hatched on day 23 and most of the rest on day 25. And then one a day later. One egg did not hatch.

I did put food and water very close to the hen. I also would directly give her food and water a couple times a day by holding small dishes in front of her. She was always very eager to eat and drink.

I worried so much about my hens sitting for so long but it all worked out. They were lovely, happy, proud mamas.

Try not to stress. Good luck.

 

[JaeG]

Unless the eggs have externally pipped a quick look won't do any harm and unless your ambient humidity is very low, even if there was a pip, as long as you popped it straight back there'd be no harm done. I'd do a quick candle to see what's what.

 

[Kayleighsarah55]

I do not have any more broody hens or an incubator. I had read somewhere that taking the eggs out from under the hen may cause any viable chicks to become 'shrink wrapped' even if it is just for a short amount of time?

Also I have mum and chick seperated from the other hens. Thankyou so much for your advice. I will candle the remaining eggs tomorrow.

 

[Kayleighsarah55]

I had a couple bantie hens hatch a clutch of eggs last fall and this is my only experience with hatching eggs. The eggs did not start hatching until day 23. I had pretty much decided that they werent going to hatch by this point. One hatched on day 23 and most of the rest on day 25. And then one a day later. One egg did not hatch.

I did put food and water very close to the hen. I also would directly give her food and water a couple times a day by holding small dishes in front of her. She was always very eager to eat and drink.

I worried so much about my hens sitting for so long but it all worked out. They were lovely, happy, proud mamas.

Try not to stress. Good luck.

My hen is a bantam too! Day 25, wow! Mum has food and water close by, I just hand fed her some corn while she continues to sit on the eggs (its her favourite) Thankyou for your advice.

 

[ChicksLoveOregon]

Is the candling to see if the chicks are still moving? Or if the eggs werent fertile? Won't the hen give up on the eggs if they aren't fertile?

 

[Chasingcars]

I’d agree ...I’d offer food/ water off the nest.. So you can candle remaining eggs to see if they have a live chick inside ...then You’ll know whether it’s a waste of her time sitting on them and she can focus on the lil chick..it can take those mother hens a while to give up on their much loved eggs!
Let us know!

 

[ChicksLoveOregon]

I also would love updates. I am so intrigued by the whole egg incubating hatching process. What a crazy way to be born!?!