How Long Do Bantam Eggs Take to Hatch For You?

[SwampPrincessChick]

I am directing this poll towards anyone who has hatched bantam eggs before, but anyone who has not is free to add in their opinion as well, based upon what they have heard! Personally, I have heard that bantam eggs usually take eighteen days to hatch, however I am aware that they may take the normal twenty-one days as well. How many days have your bantam eggs taken to hatch?

 

[Debbie292d]

When I got silkies, I was told by the owner 19 days.

When I hatched silkies, they hatched in 20-21.

Fast forward a few years. Now I incubate.

Most of the time they start pipping on the 20th day, but I've had one on the 18th and the 24th.

 

[BDutch]

What I have seen is that most eggs hatched at day 20. I may have missed the first hours because when I get to see the chicks they are always dry and fluffy. I had broodies to hatch, never used an incubator.

Between 19 and 21 days is normal. Last year I had one that was struggling to get out. I assisted a little and it hatched at day 22.

 

[IsolatedShadow]

i had quite a few hatch day 19, but thats also cause i took eggs from a few broody hens so they may have had a 'jumpstart' compared to others. oops.

 

[SB907]

Bantam silkies and polish here: the majority of my chicks pip externally on day 20. There are usually 1 or 2 early ones that pip on day 19. 90% of the hatching activity is on day 20, and the stragglers continue into the early hours on day 21.

Interestingly, this time around, I had three broodies, so I did a little broodie vs. bator experiment. I set half the eggs in my NR360, and then set the other half under the broodies 12 hours later (since, in my experience, the broodies always hatch faster). My two experienced broodies both started hatching around the same time as the first incubated chicks, but my first-time broody was a full 8 hours later. We are now early on day 21 in the incubator (late on day 20 for the broodies) and I have two eggs left in the incubator (both pipped) and two eggs left under the less-experienced broody.

So in summary,
Experienced broody hen: day 19-20
Inexperienced broody hen: day 20-21
Incubator: day 20-21

(pic of my experienced broody and her first hatchling yesterday)

 

[Massachuchicks]

Just had my first bantam Cochin hatch. Pipped on 19 and hatched on 20. I’ve got two more bantam Cochins who pipped today on day 20. I also have some silkies and some sultans and none of those have pipped yet. Lots of rocking though…