Shouldn't more have hatched by now??? Insight please!

[craftymama86]

Ok, I am SO new to having eggs hatching but 2 days ago our first egg hatched and as thrilling as that was, shouldn't more have hatched since then? They are with 2 broodies in one nest box (long story). Anyways, shouldn't I have more chickies??? I'd hate to think it was the only fertile egg, lol.

 

[craftymama86]

Bump

 

[ethingtonart]

My broodys kept allowing the other girls to lay in the nests they were sitting on, so I have eggs that range in age from about 5 days until about 13 days. If yours did the same thing, you should probably give them some more time to hatch. Did you candle them?

 

[craftymama86]

No, I haven't candled any of them, I wouldn't know what to look for. I've read there's an air sack you can see but other than that I have no idea what to look for.... or if I have the right materials to do it...

 

[ethingtonart]

I suppose candling now could be a bit risky... (Maybe someone else could weigh in on that?) There are great candling pics here though... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261876 And you only need a bright flashlight to do it.

I really hope you get more chickies!! If you are thinking about tossing the eggs, you might want to check the candling pictures first and attempt to candle them. You can sneak in to the coop at night, and hopefully be able to do it quickly since you don't want to decrease the humidity on the unhatched eggs.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

I would attempt to candle sme that are left so you know what is going on.