Hatching or Dead?

[xx Georgina xx]

Hello,
I have 5 hens.
This is my first time hatching eggs by using the hens
All of my adult hens (5) are all broody.
I have noticed some eggs has been broken, but were not vertical.
Today, I have noticed a chick in the shell, but it was ever so close to the edge, and I thought it was dead.
My Mum said "It was still alive, it takes ages for the chicks to hatch, it may of had a rest"
I am doing this all by myself and I would like to have advice here are some of my questions:

How long does it take for a chick to break through the egg?
What would I have to do if the hens pick at the chick? (they have done that to the newsiest 3 arrivals that we bought)
What shall I do to check the hens have enough of?
How can I tell if the chick that is hatching is dead or alive?
How long shall I leave the chick that been hatching in the bedding?
Should I of left the egg and the chick?

Here is the picks of my hens and the chick

 

[Johnn]

Hello,
I have 5 hens.
This is my first time hatching eggs by using the hens
All of my adult hens (5) are all broody.
I have noticed some eggs has been broken, but were not vertical.
Today, I have noticed a chick in the shell, but it was ever so close to the edge, and I thought it was dead.
My Mum said "It was still alive, it takes ages for the chicks to hatch, it may of had a rest"
I am doing this all by myself and I would like to have advice here are some of my questions:

How long does it take for a chick to break through the egg? 24 hours if not out will need help
What would I have to do if the hens pick at the chick? (they have done that to the newsiest 3 arrivals that we bought) If you bought them then its normal for them to reject them. Were they day old and did you put them under at night? Usually when a chick starts hatching it will tweet and the mother will form a bond with it, so it rarely happens.
What shall I do to check the hens have enough of? Don't know what you mean?
How can I tell if the chick that is hatching is dead or alive? You should be able to hear it tap on the shell and tweet.
How long shall I leave the chick that been hatching in the bedding? 24 hours.
Should I of left the egg and the chick? Yes it may have just been having a break but sadly, to me it looks like its been crushed when hatching . Pick up the other eggs and put them to your ear. You may be able to hear tapping and tweeting. I'm presuming you are on day 21.

Here is the picks of my hens and the chick

Answers in the box Good luck!

 

[xx Georgina xx]

Thank you ever so much

 

[Johnn]

Thank you ever so much

Was it alive in the end??

 

[xx Georgina xx]

No

 

[Johnn]

No

Aww . Did any others hatch??

 

[xx Georgina xx]

There wasnt any others, we broke the brood and we are not going to hatch any more by using chickens?
But maybe from an incubator...

 

[Johnn]

There wasnt any others, we broke the brood and we are not going to hatch any more by using chickens?
But maybe from an incubator...

Why not? Your hens look like they are broody breeds. I'd trust them over an incubator anyways. They lasted thousands of years without us...

 

[JeanR]

Next time, ONE BROODY, choose her. ONE NEST, separated from the rest of the hens. Start all eggs under her at the same time, and write 21 days, due date on your calendar. Have her chick safe waterer, Starter- Feed feeders ready in a pen --JUST for her and her chicks.

If you want more chicks than one hen can hatch, make a separate private place for EACH setting hen you want to hatch!!!!!!!!!! Even with just 2 nest boxes in the same pen--part way through the 21 days, one hen may crawl in with the other and let her eggs get cold--sometimes it works, but it is a RISK.

Hens usually are best mothers. Incubators are fine, if they work for you--the smaller ones are trickier, but can be very successful. It seems to take experience with them (same as with setting hens!)

With more than one broody hen in a nest, (can't even imagine FIVE) each hen claims the eggs, and snatch them back and forth--NOT GOOD for the eggs, the hatching chicks, which as you experienced, were savaged by each hen claiming the egg. Any chicks successfully hatched would have little chance of surviving the jealous hens.

When hens get off the nest to feed and poop, another hen will take the eggs under her--they do not get the short "cooling" that takes place when a hen leaves her eggs, sometimes for up to an hour. This is a part of the successful hen=hatch!

Don't give up, learn from your exerience and be ready "next time". Sometimes sad, but we all learn..have gone through the losses, and do better "next time"! Good luck.