How long until they fully hatch?

[kara_leigh]

My broody hen was sitting on 5 eggs. Yesterday I noticed that one of them had pipped, and by the time we went to bed it still hadn't hatched all the way. When we got up it was out walking around. When we went to do our shopping at 2pm today, another one of them was pipping. When we got back at around 7pm, two more chicks had hatched, and the last two eggs were pipping. In the 3 hours since then, no progress has been made on either egg. Is that normal? Should I just expect for them to be hatched in the morning?

 

[croach510]

Yes that is perfectly normal. It can take up to 24 hours for them to hatch once they externally pip. They have to absorb the egg yoke. Mine externally pip and then nothing at all for about 14/16 hours and then they zip on out in no time. Good Luck on your babies.....

 

[kara_leigh]

Awesome, thanks! She is such a proud mama.

 

[kara_leigh]

I went out at 7:30 this morning when I got up, and the last two chicks had just hatched. They were both still wet. When we got back from church around noon, they were both nice and fluffy. One of them is black with small white spots under its chin and on the tips of its wings, the other one is caramel brown with dark brown, black, and white stripes down its back. Both are Ameraucanas. All 5 of them hatched and seem nice and healthy and perky.