Need help! Day 21 issues

[lwente]

Ok end of day 22, still nothing. I haven't moved her, she did get off the nest late this afternoon... Got a drink, ate, pooped, and got right back on. While she was up I checked out the eggs, still no pips. I was only there for a minute but I didn't hear any chirps either. I guess I will give them tonight and check in the morning.

 

[lwente]

Morning of day 23. Nothing. No pips... And I haven't heard any chirps in a few hours. It has been over 24 hours since I first heard the little peeps from inside at least 1 egg. How much longer should I wait? Especially since I am seeing and now hearing nothing. Should I take them candle them?

 

[Farmer Viola]

Morning of day 23. Nothing. No pips... And I haven't heard any chirps in a few hours. It has been over 24 hours since I first heard the little peeps from inside at least 1 egg. How much longer should I wait? Especially since I am seeing and now hearing nothing. Should I take them candle them?

Darn... I'm sorry, I would have thought it would be out by now. You can take them and candle them, it's just that with a broody I prefer to default to 'mother knows best'... she may even toss dead eggs, so if she's on, she knows something

when you candle them, what will it change? will you open one of the eggs if it's alive, or give it back to her?
(this question is not meant in a sarcastic manner at all, I am wondering what you're thinking after this)

 

[lwente]

Well I definitely want to take advantage of having a broody hen. I love for these eggs to hatch, but if they don't I want to order some chicks for her to adopt. It's just so much easier when mama hen raises them. But when do I call it quits? I don't want to do that to early... But I also dont want mama hen to give up, I don't think she will as long as there are eggs under her and none have hatched. I just don't know what went wrong. She was a great broody. And out of 9 eggs, I had the one that started thus post and then nothing. Very confused and frustrated.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Well I definitely want to take advantage of having a broody hen. I love for these eggs to hatch, but if they don't I want to order some chicks for her to adopt. It's just so much easier when mama hen raises them. But when do I call it quits? I don't want to do that to early... But I also dont want mama hen to give up, I don't think she will as long as there are eggs under her and none have hatched. I just don't know what went wrong. She was a great broody. And out of 9 eggs, I had the one that started thus post and then nothing. Very confused and frustrated.

I'm sorry, I know how sad frustrated and helpless it feels.

I just lost a chick overnight that was in the process of hatching (incubator) and ended up bawling my eyes out, sometimes we are just so much more invested than we realize..

here is the thing - if it's alive, and you take it out to candle, you're jostling it around inside the egg and breaking lockdown humidity/temp conditions.
if it's dead, there is nothing you can do...

so if there is any chance at all, I would just leave the eggs alone... it's up to you though, follow your gut.
maybe your gut is telling you something is wrong and that is why you need to candle them to know for sure. the broody's gut is telling her to stay on the nest.

when was the last time you candled? we had chirping yesterday...is she inside the house or outside? We've been having snow here (Oregon too), just wondering if the temperature could have affected her.

 

[lwente]

I have not candled at all. I just let her set and figured she would know best. And I am in southern Oregon... We missed all the snow. Our weather has been rainy here and there with weather in the 40s. It was cold during her 3 weeks so I figured she could go a day or two late. I will give her another day or so... But I don't have much hope left. I think I am going to order some chicks today. but I am not giving up! I will try again! I really want some olive eggers!

 

[Farmer Viola]

if you do, make sure to check on craigslist or one of these facebook groups for chicks first! anything you get from a local breeder should be of higher quality than a hatchery for example..

oregon homestead classifieds https://www.facebook.com/groups/383428485069953/
portland poultry https://www.facebook.com/groups/PortlandPoultryProject/588550574548056/
byc PNW https://www.facebook.com/groups/362833163809793/

 

[lwente]

Wow! Thanks for those links... That is an awesome resource. I am going to try to get some chicks under her as soon as possible. I will keep you posted.