How old do hens have to be?????

[digger MN]

Here goes, how old should a hen be before her eggs will hatch???? The GF is telling me she read somewhere that they should be a year to year and a half. Mine are from last year, I picked them up on April 5. Haveing touble hatching them. Today is day 23 and out of 23 none are hatching. Temp. has been between 99 and 103 the whole time humidty got up to 70% once during lock down. THANKS for any help on this

 

[PamB]

I have a six month pullet that just hatch two of her own eggs this past weekend....so they don't have to be a year old.

 

[debilorrah]

Did you check for fertility before you tried to hatch them? The age varies - it is about a month after they start laying.

 

[digger MN]

Yes I did check for fertility. I have gotten close to 1800 from the 11 hens sence I got them. I may have horsed up I thought seeing how they were on day 23 or 24 that they may be done, so I just opened up bator fast and pulled one egg. I candeled it and all of a sudden it moved, It looked like beak was in or close to air sack. Hope I did not horse it up. I NO SIT ON MY HANDS NOW. i DID ADD MORE WATER THROUGH THE HOLE AFTER PUTTING IT BACK REAL FAST. Do you think I killed them doing that??????????????????

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:

No you didn't kill them. Just don;t open it again.