Incubating and hatching eggs

[jaybob54]

My white banty hen has been setting on about 16 eggs in the rafters for about 2 1/2 weeks. I know one of my 2 roo's fertilized the eggs but when will they hatch?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum!

Glad you joined us!

Chicken eggs take about 21 days to hatch after incubation starts. It can vary by a day or two, even under a broody, but the day of the week incubation started is the day of the week they should hatch. If she started on a Monday, they should hatch on a a Monday. But don't be surprised if they are a day early or late.

 

[jaybob54]

Thanks Now when I went to check on her the other day she had a egg that looked like a chick had hatched out but there
was no chick under her. I have another bantam hen that have been setting for about 3 weeks and hatched out 5 chicks
and 1 died already because of a deformation and she still has 4 eggs under her. Will she hatch out more chicks?

 

[mulia24]

give her another 2-3 days to settle on the eggs, usually hen know when she can safely leave the nest / she knows there's no more to hatch. But for sure, after she leave the nest, it's good practice to check on eggs to see any baby chick still alive inside it.