My hens won't incubate their eggs.

[Chicalina]

It might be an idea to candle the remaining eggs. In any case they will probably abandon them soon as they have a live chick to raise. You might want to separate one hen with the chick and leave one hen on the eggs if they are still viable when candling. There are plenty of YouTube videos about candling eggs to see if a live chick is inside.

When they take a break, make it only 20-30 mins and put them back on the nest if they don't go by themselves.

 

[Chicalina]

The chick can go with them when they take a break. Or you could stagger the break so they don't both go out at the same time and leave the chick under the broody who stays.

 

[lighthouse]

It might be an idea to candle the remaining eggs. In any case they will probably abandon them soon as they have a live chick to raise. You might want to separate one hen with the chick and leave one hen on the eggs if they are still viable when candling. There are plenty of YouTube videos about candling eggs to see if a live chick is inside.

When they take a break, make it only 20-30 mins and put them back on the nest if they don't go by themselves.

YES, i’ll definitely do that!

thank you!

and what do i do with the eggs if they’re empty? because i’ve heard they stink if they break. how do i dispose of them?

 

[Chicalina]

It rarely happens that they explode. Be very very sure they are not viable chicks before you dispose of them because that would be a tragedy. Chuck them in the compost or bagged up in the trash. The hens will eventually reject bad ones, or ones that are good but taking too long after the first chick hatched, hence my suggestion to give the chick to one hen in a separate place to keep the other hen sitting.

The eggs should be very dark inside, with an air cell at one end. They might even be peeping now, though we don't know how long each one has been brooded for do we if you added to the clutch here and there?

Don't do the float test if you find that on Google. it can kill viable chicks. How old is the chick now? And do you remember how long ago the last egg was added? They take about 21 days to hatch, give or take a few extra days.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Following. I love how this thread started as: my hens aren't broody and now it's: I have screeching fluffy pancakes with babies! XD

 

[lighthouse]

It rarely happens that they explode. Be very very sure they are not viable chicks before you dispose of them because that would be a tragedy. Chuck them in the compost or bagged up in the trash. The hens will eventually reject bad ones, or ones that are good but taking too long after the first chick hatched, hence my suggestion to give the chick to one hen in a separate place to keep the other hen sitting.

The eggs should be very dark inside, with an air cell at one end. They might even be peeping now, though we don't know how long each one has been brooded for do we if you added to the clutch here and there?

Don't do the float test if you find that on Google. it can kill viable chicks. How old is the chick now? And do you remember how long ago the last egg was added? They take about 21 days to hatch, give or take a few extra days.

i dated the first four eggs but always a couple of days later than actual day because it took me by surprise that they were going through with the plan.

the first one —this chick— i dated 15/09 and the other three 18/09. the last one a couple of days later.

sorry, i don’t understand what you mean by “clutch”.

 

[HappyDuckie]

i dated the first four eggs but always a couple of days later than actual day because it took me by surprise that they were going through with the plan.

the first one —this chick— i dated 15/09 and the other three 18/09. the last one a couple of days later.

sorry, i don’t understand what you mean by “clutch”.View attachment 2362966

Clutch is basically the batch of eggs a hen is sitting on. Hope this helps.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

sorry, i don’t understand what you mean by “clutch”.

A "Clutch" is a group of eggs that a hens sits on. The eggs in the nest above are a clutch.

 

[Chicalina]

ok that's great that you dated them. So you've got one that should hatch very soon, and three after that. I would say give them a week to be sure. So you've got to make sure at least one hen sits tight on these and doesn't get distracted by caring for the chick and abandon the eggs, and the other hen doesn't neglect the chick's needs for the sake of the eggs. You really need to separate them now. Has the chick bonded to one hen more than the other? Is one hen more determined to sit for longer than the other?

Clutch is just a batch of eggs under a broody hen.

 

[lighthouse]

i just put the

ok that's great that you dated them. So you've got one that should hatch very soon, and three after that. I would say give them a week to be sure. So you've got to make sure at least one hen sits tight on these and doesn't get distracted by caring for the chick and abandon the eggs, and the other hen doesn't neglect the chick's needs for the sake of the eggs. You really need to separate them now. Has the chick bonded to one hen more than the other? Is one hen more determined to sit for longer than the other?

Clutch is just a batch of eggs under a broody hen.

i just put the sumatra in the garden and my god, not even i poop that much! poor thing. ignorance really kills.

yes, the chick has taken a liking for daisy, the silkie because macy is a tough cookie to him and yes, macy is very determined to get those eggs through so it’s clear here.

well, no. i just tried that and macy keeps getting back to the first box with the chick.

i just put daisy with the eggs.