Eggs due to hatch in 2 days. Need Advice.

[citychknraising]

Hi everyone!

I've had a broody (cochin) sitting on two eggs which are due to hatch on Friday. This is the first time I'll have ever hatched eggs so I wanted to see if anybody had any helpful advice for the hatching process. I have the broody hen and eggs separated from the rest of the flock in their own coop/enclosure. Are they okay to hatch naturally while I'm at work, without supervision? Anything I need to watch out for during the process? Thanks!

Oh also, in the case that weather plays a roll.. It is supposed to be about 99 degrees here on hatching day.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

More importantly, is this her first hatch? They almost never need assistance and most of my broody hen chicks have hatched either during the night or while I am at work. The biggest issue being if they wander out of the nest and get cold but given the temps hopefully that won't be an issue. Sometimes you can run into a chick drying out and you might have to help get it unstuck, but generally there is nothing that makes it imperative that you be there to "supervise" since they will be under the broody and you won't be able to see anything anyway, and you don't want to constantly lift her to check on them.

 

[citychknraising]

More importantly, is this her first hatch? They almost never need assistance and most of my broody hen chicks have hatched either during the night or while I am at work. The biggest issue being if they wander out of the nest and get cold but given the temps hopefully that won't be an issue. Sometimes you can run into a chick drying out and you might have to help get it unstuck, but generally there is nothing that makes it imperative that you be there to "supervise" since they will be under the broody and you won't be able to see anything anyway, and you don't want to constantly lift her to check on them.

Yes, this is her first hatch also. She seems like a good broody hen so far, so I'm hoping that translates into being good when the chicks hatch! The nesting box they are in now is a litterbox, the lip being about 2 or 3 inches high. I'm nervous the chicks won't be able to get in and out of the nesting box. I'm not sure if it would be better to leave them until they hatch or try to move my hen again so she's on the floor instead of in the nesting box. (The "coop" she's in is only about 1.5ft x 1.5 ft)

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I use dishpans similar to that in my nesting boxes. I wait to move them after they hatch, just to not upset the mama hen. Another option is to build up the bedding around the nest box, but sometimes they can still end up between the bedding and box. Sometimes chicks can be good at finding ways to commit suicide so I try to make it harder for them to succeed.

 

[citychknraising]

I use dishpans similar to that in my nesting boxes. I wait to move them after they hatch, just to not upset the mama hen. Another option is to build up the bedding around the nest box, but sometimes they can still end up between the bedding and box. Sometimes chicks can be good at finding ways to commit suicide so I try to make it harder for them to succeed.

Okay, I will keep that in mind

 

[citychknraising]

Just checked on the eggs and one of them peeped at me!! I can see that it has started breaking through the shell.