Questions from the experienced broodies!!!!!!

[Fussy8]

Hi everyone! I am now in my second week of my two bantam silkies hatching four eggs! As far as i can tell they are all fertilized and have a chance to be chicks! One is a buff orpinton/ white crest polish, one is a silkie/ white crested polish, the third is a EE or Americana/ White crested polish and the last is a SLW/ white crested polish!!! WOOT!!! So now i have some questions for the experienced people out there who have done this hatching thing the natural way! But if you have used a incubator that is fine too!! I have built a barrier to keep my very curious hens out ( They have eggs under the two silkies!) and they are also off the ground...

do i need to move the eggs when they start hatching?

how long does it take for these chicks to hatch after the 3 weeks?

Should i move the nesting boxes to the floor?
Thank you for reading and potentially answering some needed questions and any other thing you think i might need to know i will gladly except the info!!!!!

 

[Ukiah]

Q - Do i need to move the eggs when they start hatching?
A - Nope, leave them be.
Q - How long does it take for these chicks to hatch after the 3 weeks?
Once they've internally pipped (Pipped through the air sac) it should take around 48 hours.
Q - Should i move the nesting boxes to the floor?
Your choice. If they are high up, I'd put in a ramp. Make the ramp where they can go both up
and down, because they'll usually go back to the nest to sleep.

Wishing you luck!

 

[Fussy8]

thank you very much Ukiah!!

 

[Ukiah]

Have fun!