Hatch day has come and gone day 21 ........ have 1 chick two eggs hen

[bazjo]

Hi Have a hen who had 6 fertile eggs put under her all different breeds .. we lost two s they cracked in the nest in week 1 their is 4 left one which hatched day 20 and another hatched but didn`t make it found it squashed under her day 21 ..... to day she is still moving the 2 remaining eggs around and took them closer to the food and water and was showing her new chick what to do but still sitting on the eggs ..... no sign of cracks in them .. feel heavy to pick up .... how long do we wait ??? and if they don`t hatch do we remove them and when will it stress her out to take them away ???

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

When I am using an incubator, I wait until at least day 23, sometimes later. When I'm using a broody, I just wait until she stops setting on them, she'll kick them out of her way when she's done with them. She will start focusing on her chick more and more, she won't care if they don't hatch, or if you take them away when she kicks them out.

 

[bazjo]

Is it possible to have viable eggs if one chick has hatched day 20 and is now day 22 there are 2 eggs still been looked after by one clucky mum and also a baby chick ... one died during hatching found squashed under mum day 21 ....... any help would be great right now

all eggs are from different breeds under the hen at the same time ... going into day 23 tomorrow how long do you wait ??? can they hatch this far apart or am I hoping for a miracle ???

 

[eggsrcool]

Give them a few more days (3 or 4?) or until your broody hen gets off the eggs. After a chick has hatched, the hen continues sitting for a few more days and then gets off - she knows what she's doing.

Once she gets off the nest, you should remove the eggs.

Sorry to hear about the chick that died. Good luck with your hatch.

Also,

Edited to add more information.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
What usually happens, bazjo, is that the hen will leave the nest 1 or 2 days after the first chick hatches. Any remaining eggs will be abandoned. If you can hear peeps in either of the remaining eggs, your best bet is to take the one that has hatched and place it in a brooder for a couple days to see if the other egg hatches. If it does or not, you can put the first chick back with mom, but do it at night so she doesn`t reject it. I would say, don`t let the unhatched eggs go past day 22. If nothing hatches, let mom keep her chick and dispose of the other eggs.........Pop

 

[bazjo]

Miss nuggett is still shifting her eggs around her box sitting on them closer to the food and water during the day and away at night , took an egg out and tried to see by tourch light if there was anything not good at knowing what I am looking for ... moved them away from her and she found them and put them under her again ........ so how long you wait ??? the little chick is eating and drinking and running around ........ day 24 today

 

[GrannysRoost]

What is your outside temp? They get off and on, and if she is still sitting, would let her, one may have gotten cooler being on an edge and take longer? Good luck, you know you have one doing well!

 

[bazjo]

Thanks ............. latest update ............
Outside temp was up to 30 degrees celcius yesterday but 26 ish to day ...... this lunchtime she kicked an egg away from her ...... and I found another half buried in sawdust they both felt too cool to be viable ....... I removed them she didn`t seem interested anymore .... but came back after popping out for a while to the her scratching around ..... the brooder box was a bit of a mess ...... I removed both Mum and chick for a short time to the lower run and cleaned it all out and put fresh bedding in it and fresh water and food .......... so after waiting this been the 5th day after the 1st chick hatched ....... I just hoped I did the right thing ..... I tapped on the eggs left and nothing so hopefully I didn`t stress out the Mum too much ............

........ I am feeding both mum and chick .... chick starter as mum and baby are in the top of the coop together .......