Is my almost hen broody? When will the eggs hatch?

[Farmgirl283420]

Did you keep track of how many eggs Amelia had at what point? That might help figure out what is going on with some of the eggs.

As regards the other pullet: did she spend last night on the nest, and is she there now? If yes, and if Amelia wants to be done sitting, then the live egg might be safer under that other pullet. If the other pullet slept on the roost last night (not in the nest) and is not on the nest now, then the egg might need to keep taking its chances with Amelia.


Dud egg with an air sack: no chick, take it outside and crack it open to verify that. There is no way an egg looks like that with a chick almost ready to hatch, but seeing for yourself is very helpful.

Cracked egg: an egg that is almost ready to hatch should have a large dark area, plus an air cell. It should not smell rotten. Give it a sniff and see if that tells anything useful. I am not positive what I am seeing in the photos of it, but a crack is a good way for bacteria to get in. So the dark area could be a chick (live or dead), or it could be a bunch of bacteria. I don't really know what to say about that one. There is a good chance I would crack it open too, making the assumption that it does not have a live chick, but I can't be as sure over the internet as I might be in person. If you had an incubator, I might say to leave it in there a bit longer and see, but it's much harder when you've got a broody who is done and no other good choices.

The one that looks alive and is on day 24 it could be the one that we added maybe a day later at most? And it might be a jersey giant so it hatched two days later so it might actually be on time!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Belle did nest box last night like she has for days now she was up when I went though. Should I put her in a bin with the eggs?

 

[Farmgirl283420]

The one that looks alive and is on day 24 it could be the one that we added maybe a day later at most? And it might be a jersey giant so it hatched two days later so it might actually be on time!

 

[NatJ]

The one that looks alive and is on day 24 it could be the one that we added maybe a day later at most?

So it would be at least on day 23? Hmm, definitely still late.

And it might be a jersey giant so it hatched two days later so it might actually be on time!

I would expect a Jersey Giant to hatch about day 21, just like other chicken breeds.

Belle did nest box last night like she has for days now she was up when I went though. Should I put her in a bin with the eggs?

If she was sitting on a nest in the main coop, I was thinking you might just draw some lines on the eggs in question (for easy recognition), and tuck them under her. But I remember you had trouble with Amelia changing nests when other chickens wanted to lay eggs, so maybe that wouldn't be a good idea after all.

If you want to try putting Belle in a bin, give her a couple fake eggs first, and see how she acts. If she fusses around trying to get out, that could break eggs. If she settles down nicely, it should be safe enough to put the eggs under her.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

So it would be at least on day 23? Hmm, definitely still late.


I would expect a Jersey Giant to hatch about day 21, just like other chicken breeds.



If she was sitting on a nest in the main coop, I was thinking you might just draw some lines on the eggs in question (for easy recognition), and tuck them under her. But I remember you had trouble with Amelia changing nests when other chickens wanted to lay eggs, so maybe that wouldn't be a good idea after all.

If you want to try putting Belle in a bin, give her a couple fake eggs first, and see how she acts. If she fusses around trying to get out, that could break eggs. If she settles down nicely, it should be safe enough to put the eggs under her.

I’ll have to buy some. The chick that moved made a jerk motion a believe its head. We were holding the egg still. I’m mostly afraid of cracking the egg then me killing it.

 

[NatJ]

I’ll have to buy some.

Fake eggs? Look around your house for anything vaguely egg-shaped: plastic easter eggs, golf balls, avocado pits, smooth rock about the right size, etc.

If you don't have any, then of course you can't try letting her set on any, and you will just have to either try her with the real eggs or not.

The chick that moved made a jerk motion a believe its head. We were holding the egg still. I’m mostly afraid of cracking the egg then me killing it.

I really don't know what to say. If it goes on for another day or two, I would probably try cracking the egg anyway (start at the big end, where the air cell ought to be.) I'm really doubtful that you will get any healthy chick from that egg when it is this late, but it does sometimes happen and yours might be one of the late ones that does hatch successfully.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Fake eggs? Look around your house for anything vaguely egg-shaped: plastic easter eggs, golf balls, avocado pits, smooth rock about the right size, etc.

If you don't have any, then of course you can't try letting her set on any, and you will just have to either try her with the real eggs or not.


I really don't know what to say. If it goes on for another day or two, I would probably try cracking the egg anyway (start at the big end, where the air cell ought to be.) I'm really doubtful that you will get any healthy chick from that egg when it is this late, but it does sometimes happen and yours might be one of the late ones that does hatch successfully.

Yeah I’ll give the eggs maybe two or three more days then I guess I might give up.

 

[fluffycrow]

It's important to remember that there already is a chick and a mom, wanting to move on. You said she stopped sitting the way she did. As a result, she might not be warming them appropriately

 

[Farmgirl283420]

It's important to remember that there already is a chick and a mom, wanting to move on. You said she stopped sitting the way she did. As a result, she might not be warming them appropriately

Yeah maybe it’s a false hope. I just want to give them the best chance specially that one that moved. I’m not going to be home much tomorrow so maybe give them one more day?

 

[fluffycrow]

Yeah maybe it’s a false hope. I just want to give them the best chance specially that one that moved. I’m not going to be home much tomorrow so maybe give them one more day?

Have you shown a picture of the one that moved? I'm positive that Natj mentioned this in the past, what you perceived as live movement could have been a deceased chick, or something of that nature. I had something similar happen with my first batch. Have you smelled the eggs yet?