First time hen-hatch

[Raptorchick]

Hi all! I've been incubating eggs for years now... the last time I let a hen hatch eggs, the chicks were extremely skittish (to the point of being untameable), so I bought an incubator for better handling results. Then a month ago, two of my hens starting sitting in a location I couldn't reach, inside a cinderblock under the coop.... little stinkers. Today I heard peeps, and both mothers are talking to the babies, haven't seen any yet.
So, how many days will it take for the eggs to hatch/how long will they sit for? Do they know when the eggs are done hatching, or should I keep an eye out for any eggs left behind when they get up (to put in the incubator/finish hatching)?
Also, these are seramas in a large coop with five other seramas, will the chicks be safe? They have a small waterer and feeder near the cinderblock, but I don't know if I should move the moms/babies to a safer, more secluded coop just for them...
I'm so excited, currently at work, can't wait to go check on them
Thanks ahead for any help!
-Kelsey

 

[Raptorchick]

Quick update, I just got home from work, decided the moms/babies would at least be safer enclosed. They still haven't moved, but I got to see one little yellow one! The other chickens can see them but can't get in, and they've got food n water... will check again tonight as you can see in the pics, they are literally sharing a cinderblock... one in the left hole, one in the right, I'm a little worried about whether they will play nice once hatching is over...

 

[turkey girl 0964]

The momma will sit on the rest of the eggs for 3 days and if the rest of them don't hatch by then she will have to decide to either continue sitting on the unhatched eggs and to kill the baby/babies or to care and teach the hatched babies to eat and drink and leave to rest of the unhatched eggs. Chicks can last up to 72 hours without food because their yolk can sustain them. I would move them to a safer spot/coop but if they are doing fine there and if no predators or other hen can't get to them I would just let them be.

 

[Raptorchick]

Ok so, I came out to check on them about two hours ago (3pm for me)... both moms came out to the main coop and were sitting by the big waterer the chicks were going back and forth between the moms, the other roosters and hens don't seem to care. I moved the small feeder and waterer near them, just in case. I might move them into an enclosed coop tonight, I'm not sure if the chicks can navigate a coop ramp?
So then I checked the nest for left eggs, there was one completely cold egg with a pip that was peeping! I ran it inside to my incubator (I've got 8 eggs on day 17) unsure if it's gona make it but it's still peeping...

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Ok so, I came out to check on them about two hours ago (3pm for me)... both moms came out to the main coop and were sitting by the big waterer the chicks were going back and forth between the moms, the other roosters and hens don't seem to care. I moved the small feeder and waterer near them, just in case. I might move them into an enclosed coop tonight, I'm not sure if the chicks can navigate a coop ramp?
So then I checked the nest for left eggs, there was one completely cold egg with a pip that was peeping! I ran it inside to my incubator (I've got 8 eggs on day 17) unsure if it's gona make it but it's still peeping...
View attachment 2678827View attachment 2678828View attachment 2678829View attachment 2678830

Awesome! Hope that pipped egg hatches! My 2 bantam are raising their babies together and it is so cute to watch them.