Eggs hatching at different times

[Ridgerunner]

I’ve had as much good luck with first time broodies as repeat broodies. I’ve had problems with broody hens that had already successfully hatched and raised chicks. I know you see how horrible a first time broody is all over this forum, but that has not been my experience. I don’t worry about that first time broody stuff.

Before the eggs hatch but after internal pip, the chicks start chirping. They are talking to the broody hen, telling her that they are on the way, don’t abandon the nest yet. Of course you are dealing with living animals so anything can possibly happen, but I’ve yet to have a broody hen leave any unhatched living chicks behind when she takes her chicks off the nest. Nature has found a solution for that problem.

There are many different reasons some chicks hatch before others, even if the eggs are started at the same time. There are just basic differences in the eggs that can cause some to hatch earlier than others, sometimes a couple of days earlier or later. This happens under a broody or in an incubator. A lot of the time my hatches are over within 24 hours and the broody hen has her chicks off the nest. Sometimes the hatch drags on for two full days, the hen does not bring them off until the third day. I figure, since the hen is talking to her unhatched chicks, she knows more about this than I do.

Is it possible you can come home to a problem? Of course, you are dealing with living animals, anything is possible. Is it likely you will come home to problems? Not really.

Good luck!

 

[Beth0202]

You've done fine! We all learn as we go and experience is the best teacher. As it's your broody's first time and she has only just begun to lay I think that hatching any chicks should be considered a good result. The best thing is to try not to overthink things - she knows what she's doing (and even if she doesn't - there's little that you can do). Do you have any plans for once the gets off the nest with her chicks? Are you planning on separating them from the flock, or letting them mingle? I've always let my broodies mingle with the flock, but other members separate momma and chicks to prevent the chicks being pecked by other flock members.

I'll keep my fingers crossed! I'm really wanting to let them mingle with the rest of the flock. At this point, if they survive all my mistakes thus far, I'm planning on keeping them separated from the flock until this coming weekend and then having a supervised interaction with the rest of the girls when I can be home. I'm guessing you usually have good luck introducing them? I am concerned that the others will try to eat the chicks.

I’ve had as much good luck with first time broodies as repeat broodies. I’ve had problems with broody hens that had already successfully hatched and raised chicks. I know you see how horrible a first time broody is all over this forum, but that has not been my experience. I don’t worry about that first time broody stuff.

Before the eggs hatch but after internal pip, the chicks start chirping. They are talking to the broody hen, telling her that they are on the way, don’t abandon the nest yet. Of course you are dealing with living animals so anything can possibly happen, but I’ve yet to have a broody hen leave any unhatched living chicks behind when she takes her chicks off the nest. Nature has found a solution for that problem.

There are many different reasons some chicks hatch before others, even if the eggs are started at the same time. There are just basic differences in the eggs that can cause some to hatch earlier than others, sometimes a couple of days earlier or later. This happens under a broody or in an incubator. A lot of the time my hatches are over within 24 hours and the broody hen has her chicks off the nest. Sometimes the hatch drags on for two full days, the hen does not bring them off until the third day. I figure, since the hen is talking to her unhatched chicks, she knows more about this than I do.

Is it possible you can come home to a problem? Of course, you are dealing with living animals, anything is possible. Is it likely you will come home to problems? Not really.

Good luck!

Thanks for this answer! This is what I was hoping to hear from someone who has done this before. I had read somewhere online that once the chicks hatch the hens hormones start to change and she goes into 'raising chick mode' vs 'incubating eggs mode'. So, I've been afraid the little ones fully hatched would encourage her to abandon the others. But, what you said makes sense.. if they are talking to her from inside the eggs hopefully she'll stay with them! I sure hope more babies are pipping today while I'm away.
How do I know that everything is going smoothly if I'm not supposed to peak under mom? I've read a lot about not interfering with the hatching eggs for many hours but what if one is truly stuck, how will I know? The first chick took over 16 hours after pipping to unzip (yes I was worried but I didn't intervene!) but the second one did it in 8 hours or less. I guess I just need to let nature take its course!
Thanks!

 

[Beth0202]

So, after 3 stressful days of waiting I have 5 healthy chicks out of 7 eggs. The 6th one hatched but I found it dead when I got home from work. It looked normal so I'm not sure what went wrong there. The 7th one never hatched at all. I opened the egg after i knew it was dead and the chick looked normal, perhaps a little larger than the others, but it's yolk sac had not absorbed. It had pipped internally but never broke the shell?

I have 5 more eggs due to hatch under a different broody in a week. I'll try to do a better job of leaving her alone.
So far new babies and mom are doing fine with the rest of the flock. The older girls just ignore them.

My first hatch has been mostly a success!

 

[bobbi-j]

So, after 3 stressful days of waiting I have 5 healthy chicks out of 7 eggs. The 6th one hatched but I found it dead when I got home from work. It looked normal so I'm not sure what went wrong there. The 7th one never hatched at all. I opened the egg after i knew it was dead and the chick looked normal, perhaps a little larger than the others, but it's yolk sac had not absorbed. It had pipped internally but never broke the shell?

I have 5 more eggs due to hatch under a different broody in a week. I'll try to do a better job of leaving her alone.
So far new babies and mom are doing fine with the rest of the flock. The older girls just ignore them.

My first hatch has been mostly a success!

Ideally, that's how it works. Mama is hormonal enough that she generally doesn't tolerate any nonsense with her babies. I used to separate mama and chicks until the babies were about 6-8 weeks old, but read on here that it's better to have them mingle when the babies are younger. So, I tried that. The mama was much more protective when they were little, and they learned young the proper manners of chicken society. When I introduced them as older chicks, mama's protectiveness wasn't as strong and the babies had to fight it out on their own.

 

[Pork Pie]

So, after 3 stressful days of waiting I have 5 healthy chicks out of 7 eggs. The 6th one hatched but I found it dead when I got home from work. It looked normal so I'm not sure what went wrong there. The 7th one never hatched at all. I opened the egg after i knew it was dead and the chick looked normal, perhaps a little larger than the others, but it's yolk sac had not absorbed. It had pipped internally but never broke the shell?

I have 5 more eggs due to hatch under a different broody in a week. I'll try to do a better job of leaving her alone.
So far new babies and mom are doing fine with the rest of the flock. The older girls just ignore them.

My first hatch has been mostly a success!

I'd say 5 from 7 is a very good result. Congratulations and good to hear that all is going well.