Hatch has begun...how long should it take?

[FoosterRooster]

Well, our Java hen has successfully hatched 6 of her eggs so far. The first one came out around 5 or 6 pm on Tuesday. It is now 2:20 pm on Wednesday and I am wondering how long or if I should let her continue to set. I can't see the progress without picking her up....and I don't know if I should check for pipping on the rest of her eggs, or encourage her to feed her 6 that are out, or what? How long can the new ones go before she starts getting them to food and water? Several of the chicks are getting active and they have ejected a few egg shells which I removed. She has 5 more under her that we are waiting on.
This being our first time for this, I am probably too nervous and should just let her do her thing, but I figured I'd ask y'all.
Here is a pic of her with a couple of the little ones. Obviously, the yellow one in front, and a brown one to her right flank with the head showing.

I have a crate and an extra heat lamp...I could improvise a quick incubator to finish hatching if neccessary. Each time the little ones kick out a broken shell half, she quickly tries to scoot it back under her.
Am I concerned over nothing? It just seems like its going on a little too long but what do I know?
We are pretty stoked over the 6 but I still just want to make sure I do it right.
Thanks, Fooster

 

[Theapplechicks]

I found one this morning that had a small chip out of it and it was out of the nest and though one of the chickens had knocked it out and cracked it... put it back under mama hoping it would be ok and came home this afternoon to a hatched baby. That was around 3. She is sitting on 8 more and I can't tell but don't see any other babies yet.... Will keep checking. Not sure how long it can go on.

 

[satay]

The mother hen should know when to take her babies out for food and water. I would just make sure you have some available that she and the babies can access when they are ready. The babies are fine for 48 hours or so after hatching with no food or water.

 

[Komaki]

My last hatch, 7 eggs, all from my oldest BO. 1 pipped and zipped on day 21. So I followed my own advise, I waited. Day 22, 1 zipped in the early morning. Day 3, nothing! Day 4, 3 more p&z @ some point. Fast forward to day 7. I went out to toss the other 2. 1 was wriggleing in my hand. Okay, let it go. Next day, 1 more.

 

[1234duck]

I'm new to this but my broodie hen just hatched 1st chick on 5/5 last thursday & 1 chick Friday 5/6 i just let her do her thing babys are fine. the hen needs to stay & hatch them eggs my hen would sit then decide to get up to where now she only hatched 2 out of 17 eggs with 1 being not fertile... 2 are bad... & 4 are fully developed then the rest all were at different stages of development but dead of course. the 4 developed eggs i'm trying to hatch now. but i wouldnt mess with her ..let her sit while she still wants to. babies can go a few days w/o food b/c they just fed off of the yolk(with ducklings anyways but i'm sure as to be same with chicks.) Good Luck & Congrats, ~Julie~ And hatch day was...5/3 last Tuesday

 

[FoosterRooster]

Update: We are up to 9 hatched!

Only two more to go and one is pipped!
This has been a really cool experience and I can hardly wait to do it again.

Keeping fingers crossed for the last two.
I will post more pictures once she has them up wandering around.
Fooster

 

[hinkjc]

That is so exciting!

Congrats to you and mama hen.

 

[1234duck]

Congrats FoosterRooster

Good luck with the rest of the hatch, fingers are crossed for you

~Julie~

 

[FoosterRooster]

Well, its official. The count is ten out of the twelve I gave her to set on. (Probably would have been eleven, but,

I um...dropped one on the patio while candling last week...

)
Anyhow, one of the last two was pipped, and ended up hatching! The last one I decided to candle tonight. It was not viable looking when shining my Surefire tactical light through it, and was watery sounding when I shook it. Done deal. So, she has ten new babies for tomorrow morning and no more eggs to sit on. I expect to have a few pictures to post tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for all of the well wishes and advice everyone!
Fooster

 

[gfcm]

Can't wait to see picks!!