Help broody hen hatching

[Hannahschickys]

Hi guys this is my first broody hen and she has a staggered hatch trouble ik 1st chick came 3 days ago 2nd chick 2 days ago broody was leaving nest all the time to look afta babies she has another 8 eggs under her. They keep going cold bc the babies which have hatched keep venturing off bc shes showing them food etc she then sits on hatched chicks outside the box where eggs are i have now taken them Hatched chicks off her bc one egg baby has piped and is tweeting but egg is cold shes now sitting back on them should i do anything else really unsure wat i need to do or how to know if other eggs have live babies still.

 

[Welshies]

Give it time. After 2 weeks you can remove the eggs. Remove any beforehand that smell.

 

[bobbi-j]

I would put the rest of the eggs in an incubator if you have one. If not, I guess just keep taking the hatched chicks away until you think no others will hatch. This may be counter productive, though. She may not take the babies back. I have never had a broody with a staggered hatch, so I don't know.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Ouch. Staggered hatches are hard for this very reason. I'm sorry you've got one. (I'm sure you know now to set the eggs at the same time, pulling any that get laid afterward)

Okay, removing the live chicks has encouraged mom to sit. That's good. Do you know how many days apart the eggs were set? They will likely be delayed a day or two for hatch due to getting cold.

I'd try not to disturb momma right now so that the pipping one will hatch okay, and wait a couple of days. Then I'd check to see how things are going...anymore pips? How's that chick that is pipping doing? Is it out? Then if I have only that chick, I'd candle the remaining eggs to see what is happening.

But right now, since you've got a pipping chick, you don't want it to shrink wrap, so let momma sit undisturbed until that chick is hatched fully and dried off. Then you can reassess.

You may need to pull the chicks as they hatch if she is willing to sit on the eggs and you are confident they are developed.

My thoughts. LofMc

 

[Hannahschickys]

Thanks everyone shes sitting on the egg thats pipped n tweeting and other eggs still so hopefully it will hatch ok. How long does it take an egg to hatch once its pipped and cracked open a small air hole i presume. This being cold egg wont shrink wrap will it. Eggs were layed everyday x 2 before i realised after day 3 she was broody n sitting. Have removed her a week ago from remaingin flock to hatch in peace. Have the other 2 under a heat lamp set up inside bc they keep calling for her dont want to stress her by hearing them. How do i know for next time to get hatch same day if i notice her sitting do i a put previous eggs layed under her n not add any extras layed from then on? Sorry only had my girls a year n wasnt ready for babies so quick lol

 

[Welshies]

Give the pip 24 hours.

For next time, when eggs are laid, mark them with pencil.
Mark the ones that she starts to brood, so you know which ones are being sat on, resulting in a non staggered hatch. Remove bad smelling or unmarked (new) eggs.

 

[Welshies]

The main cause of a staggered hatch isn't so much lay date (as eggs can sit for up to two weeks unbrooded and still hatch), but other hens. When other hens come in and lay AFTER the broody has started sitting, you get a staggered hatch because the incubation hasn't been consistent for EVERY egg.
Marking is important because occasionally broodies don't stop laying when they're sitting. Mine didn't.

 

[Welshies]

Because what causes eggs to all hatch around the same time?
A consistent incubation period.
So when a broody sits on ten eggs for the same amount of time, they hatch at the same time no matter when they were laid.
If a broody sits on ten eggs those first ten will hatch all at the same time- but any new eggs that are laid in her nest after she starts brooding will hatch later causing a staggered hatch.

 

[Hannahschickys]

Thankyou

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Agreed.
I keep a consistent incubation period by removing eggs daily, keeping hatching eggs set aside in a cool place, rotating out after a week.

I leave some ping pong balls in the nest to entice setting.

When hen is showing she has settled into a good brood, I then replace fake eggs with my hatching eggs. I put the date set as my mark, so I can remember when I set them. I personally prefer to keep important hatches isolated from the flock as you then don't have other hens disturbing your brood and jostling eggs and laying eggs you have to pull this disturbing the nest each day. I prefer to have a hands off approach if at all possible.

Even with eggs set the same time, there can be 24 to 48 hour difference in hatch as not all eggs get the same heat or grow the same rate.

With a 2 day stagger, you will have up to a 4 day delay, with possibly another due to chilling.

You do risk momma not accepting the first hatched back, but she is a Silkie, so she likely will. The trick is, your older chicks will be ready for more activity than the newly hatched babes who can get trampled by mom or the older chicks as momma is up scratching before the little chicks are ready.

It all depends on how much delay you end up with between the first and last hatchings.