Heard peeps yesterday, and only one hatched

[Camille13]

I have a broody hen on 3 fertile eggs (and 3 non-fertile eggs, oops!) and yesterday I put one up to my ear to see if I could hear anything. I heard little peeps coming from all three eggs, and last night or this morning, one hatched. The other two aren't peeping anymore. I took them out again this morning to listen. Does anyone thing I disturbed them too much? Or am I just too anxious? Today is day 21, and I know it can take a day or two longer. I am just concerned because I didn't hear peeping today. Any response would be greatly appreciated!

 

[SarahIrl]

Canle them to see if they are moving, or have pipped the air sac, which they should have done if you heard peeping. If they have, you can break off the end of the egg over the air sac and see if they are still alive, but if they are, you will have to then go ahead and hatch them, bear in mind the three eggs could be reasy three different days. Your hen will walk away from them if they won't hatch anyway.

 

[Camille13]

Thank you. I think I am going to give them another day or two, considering today is only day 21. I would feel terrible if they weren't ready to hatch, and I hatched them and killed them. Would this happen? I am just worried that in taking them out of the nest box a few times to listen, that I might have did them in. Is this possible? I don't know if I have the patients for hatching eggs!

 

[Danny39]

I would give them a few more days, I have had hatches take several days under hens and in the incubator. I don't think you did any harm to them as long as you didn't keep them out to long. It takes quite a while for them to get to cool. Good luck.

 

[Camille13]

They never spent more than maybe 30 seconds out from under the hen. I was reading on some other posts about keeping the humidity constant at the end, and we live in a very dry climate, but I can't see them possibly getting dried out in the short amount of time we listened to them. I was mostly concerned that I heard peeping, and now don't, but the peeping was very quiet, not like I have read described in may posts here. Thanks!

 

[Camille13]

OK, I just have to be patient. There is a beak working at one of the eggs as I type!