- Mar 14, 2011
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Through a bizarre series of events, we've ended up with a broody hen on 10 eggs in a plastic tote in our bedroom closet - doh. This is our first time hatching eggs, and I swear everything crazy that can happen has. I'm sure I'm doing everything wrong and it will be a miracle if we end up with a single chick by the time all is said and done, but it's been a fun, learning experience for myself and the kids if nothing else....it's also given us the push to buy an incubator, lol!!
So she's been in the house for three or four days...maybe five? We've developed a routine - every morning I carry her outside and give her 15 minutes of feed, water, and corn with some walking and pooping - then I let everyone else out. Today is day 20. I just went to carry her out and could hear peeping, and swore I was going to see chicks under her - no dice. I decided to shorten her trip today, so got everything ready and rushed her out, then rushed back in for a listen - and sure enough, at least one of the eggs has peeping going on inside of it, along with a bunch of scratching!! Mama ate and drank, and as soon as she made her poop I carried her back in. Last night I could hear her moving around, I wonder if she could hear the babies and is getting restless for their hatch?
So my question(s)....once you can hear peeping and scratching, how quickly do you expect a hatch? No pips that I could see, but I also was just looking down from the top and didn't shift anything around. I'm on pins and needles waiting...I'm just leaving her alone completely for the next 12 hours (unless I hear obvious chick noise through the closet door) before I do her bedtime check. Wondering how soon I can expect to see a baby head pop up from under mama's wing?
So she's been in the house for three or four days...maybe five? We've developed a routine - every morning I carry her outside and give her 15 minutes of feed, water, and corn with some walking and pooping - then I let everyone else out. Today is day 20. I just went to carry her out and could hear peeping, and swore I was going to see chicks under her - no dice. I decided to shorten her trip today, so got everything ready and rushed her out, then rushed back in for a listen - and sure enough, at least one of the eggs has peeping going on inside of it, along with a bunch of scratching!! Mama ate and drank, and as soon as she made her poop I carried her back in. Last night I could hear her moving around, I wonder if she could hear the babies and is getting restless for their hatch?
So my question(s)....once you can hear peeping and scratching, how quickly do you expect a hatch? No pips that I could see, but I also was just looking down from the top and didn't shift anything around. I'm on pins and needles waiting...I'm just leaving her alone completely for the next 12 hours (unless I hear obvious chick noise through the closet door) before I do her bedtime check. Wondering how soon I can expect to see a baby head pop up from under mama's wing?
