Question: egg to hatchling time??

[Newbie in NC]

Hi; we have two brooders that REFUSE to give up their eggs......wife has talked me into letting them hatch a clutch of eight eggs (four each)......how long does it take to hatch peeps under moms' belly? Thanks!!!

 

[kristenm1975]

I think its 21 days, but someone with more experience should be able to answer you with more confidence.

 

[badnfluinz]

I would think it is 21 days also.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Yes... 21 days. Make sure the broody gets off the nest to eat, drink and poop at least once a day if she doesn't do it on her own.

Congrats!

 

[Newbie in NC]

Thanks everyone......we thought it was 21 days but wanted to make sure......I only see them in the afternoons......how can I make sure the broodies are eating and drinking? They are very defensive when we come to the coop late in the day...(these girls are NOT tame or friendly as they were abandoned by their previous owners)...they won't budge off the nests and try to peck us if we reach under them! Guess I'll seclude them from the others and use separate dishes until I'm absolutely sure they're eating and drinking.

Thanks again!!!

 

[Mrs MIA]

You may have to seclude them so the other hens don't lay more eggs in the nest. Otherwise, you'll have to mark them so you know which ones are new. If they've gotten off the nest to poo, you WILL know...

 

[calibersway]

Hey Newbie, i'm in NC as well, have some first time broody hens, and one just hatched me a surprise baby apparently over night....there wasn't supposed to be a fertile egg ready to hatch yet, but what happened was i put ceramic eggs and 2 fertiles in 3 weeks ago, and well i thought when i candled the 'fertiles' i'd actually marked an unfertile as one of the two fertiles and the 2nd fertile i marked as ceramic so never messed with. X_x i'll do better next time. But since this hen is doing a good job, i'll start putting my fertile eggs under her to hatch.

At first she was not getting off the nest so i moved her and it on the ground and put a small water dish by her and kept food by her, she finally got the idea. your bunch will too i'm sure. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Mrs.Puff]

Also watch out for mites and such attacking your broodies. Since she's sitting in one spot all day, the little bugs can get to her. You can find suitable dusts or sprays.

And yeah-- you will definitely know if she's been out to poo. Totally huge and totally smelly. Some will accidentally poo the nest if you don't take them off to go. If she hasn't gone, you better take her out to go. She'll just sit there for a minute usually, then she'll let it rip.

 

[Newbie in NC]

Thanks for the advice everyone......it's so cool to receive helpful responses to what must surely seem like dumb questions to the experienced!!!

Quick update.....we moved the broodies off of the nest last evening and they went straight for the food and water dishes...then outside to do their dirty business......marked the eight eggs that we want them to hatch....retreived six new eggs and noted that we now have a 3rd girl that is becoming broody!!!

Thanks again everyone; hope to post pics soon!