Hens only lay on eggs for short period.

[jwainscott1]

I have two hens who have decided to lay their eggs together. One laid on them for a few hours a few days ago. Now the other one goes in lays on them for a little bit and thats it. They do not sleep on them either. They now have 11 eggs between the two of them. Any suggestions?

 

[0wen]

There's really nothing you can do to 'make' a hen go broody. Hormone/Nature driven behavior and all. I'd invest in an incubator or a 'broody tending' breed of fowl - a lot of people have luck with a variety of bantam breeds for sitting eggs...

 

[jwainscott1]

I have an incubator that currently has three eggs. I had put some in before and they didn't make it. So I took some that I had put in the refrigerator. They had been in there around 2 weeks or more. Not sure as I put them in daily as my one laid them. They are on day 21 today and one is actually zipping as we speak. The other two haven't pipped so not sure if they will hatch. They had been developing when candling. I'm really excited this is my first successful hatch. I keep getting up and going to look. So not opening the incubator this time though. I think that is what happened last time. I had two that were cracked and went bad. Had stuff seeping so I had opened a couple times to get them out. and admittedly was inexperienced and impatient checking on them.

 

[0wen]

I think everyone is impatient when checking on incubated eggs their first time Sad when they don't make it, but it happens - sometimes because of us, sometimes because of nature. Congrats on the zipping chicks. I'd leave the ones that haven't done anything alone until you have to do something. I just went through a hatch with 1st chick hatching day 22, second hatching day 23 - zero action on day 21. A lot of people have em make their entrance as late as day 24 or 25...

 

[jwainscott1]

Do you take the hatched chicks out once they are dry or leave them?

 

[0wen]

You can leave them in there until they dry out. Some people leave them in the incubator for a day or two before removing them. I have a small incubator that recovers humidity and heat pretty quickly (Brinsea Mini Advance) so have a little more leeway than a styrofoam incubator for the most part. I'd leave them in for the first day at least - it'll give you time to maybe be able to grab a few out at a time to limit how often you need to open the incubator and all...

 

[jwainscott1]

I only have three in there right now. Two haven't pipped. My incubator is smaller and recovers quickly also. I figured leave in for at least a day. Still peeping away but hasn't zipped anymore. Driving me crazy lol.