One of the reasons it doesn't take 28 days

[robin416]

The temperature outside.

The Guinea hen was not on the nest more than two weeks, that's fourteen days or less. Last night at close up time I had everyone up and peaked over the feed bin she was behind. No hen but more disturbing was the empty shells. Quick head count, one is missing. I allow the weeds to grow tall in their outside pen for those that just have to nest outside. There she was with five keets.

With tons of threats from her I managed to get her and her five keets in to the coop. This morning all was fine, I left her and the five keets along with Daddy in the coop. I left for a few hours, her little flock had gone from five to six. I look over the feed bin and there are two more hatched and another almost out. This with her not occupying the nest since some time yesterday. Its been in the mid to high 90's here for weeks. So these eggs were incubating without the aid of the hen and continue to hatch without her help.

 

[flgardengirl]

Congrats on all your babies

I have always wondered about the temp outside and hatching. It has been between 95-100 here lately and @ 86% humidity. I was thinking the other day that eggs could probably practically hatch themselves here lol.

 

[caral07]

Congrats on your new keets. I hope my 4 hens and there 5 boyfriends will reproduce some day.

 

[robin416]

I found four more eggs pipped this morning, one was almost out. I put them all in the bator in my Silkie coop since then three have hatched and one is working on it.

 

[ColbyNTX]

The temp does do that. If I pick up eggs everyday and bring them in and put them in my turner in the A/C then I get a 28 day hatch. If I rob a nest that has been growing for a week or two in this hot weather then I get a hatch that lasts a week or two and that is not fun in a bator.