Taking too long to hatch

[Shelly67]

I have a clutch of 13 eggs that my brooder is sitting on. I didn't log the date of all of the eggs but I know the first 2 were layed just before the end of May. Since it has been well over the date they should be hatching I took the chance and moved my hen today and very carefully removed the eggs one by one to candle them (making sure that each egg remained in the same position as they were in the nest). I had 3 that I heard pecking and one chirping. The rest I couldn't tell anything about them. Will they be all right after removing them to candle them? Also she is in a coop with other hens and the rooster, what can I do to make sure the chicks aren't hurt by the others?

 

[PD-Riverman]

Listen, we all have to learn, starting from the beginning---always collect eggs from Every nest Every Day---EVEN if a hen is on the nest----never pass/skip a nest-----then the First thing to do IF you want a Good hatch is to make sure the eggs----ALL the eggs under your broody are set at the same time----you collect the eggs and You put them all under her at one time---marking them clearly if she is going to be where other hens can get to her nest and they will probably lay other Eggs that YOU have to remove daily(they want be marked). Now doing this you have eliminated a Staggered hatch which is Not a good thing. When you get the eggs "set" under your hen mark your calendar or write the
hatch date over her nest----always start the next day as day 1 and count to day 21 for your hatch date---mark it then you want be wondering when that day is and you want be messing with the eggs during that time.

Hopefully they will be alright being you bothered them at this critical time?? As far as being ok with the rest of the flock---if you are going to allow them with the flock, you will just have to keep monitoring them to make sure they are not being pecked to death---Most regulars on here know How I feel about that----I never allow the young with the old.

When your eggs start hatching---she will probably leave the nest in a day or so with the hatched chicks---the "Good" unhatched eggs will die in the egg if YOU do not put them in a incubator to finish hatching or you can remove the chicks that hatch first to a properly heated brooder and keep removing them as they hatch and maybe she will stay on the nest and keep trying to hatch the others---which is Not a good Thing---that's why YOU should never Allow a Staggered hatch---its a Problem. Good Luck

 

[Shelly67]

Listen, we all have to learn, starting from the beginning---always collect eggs from Every nest Every Day---EVEN if a hen is on the nest----never pass/skip a nest-----then the First thing to do IF you want a Good hatch is to make sure the eggs----ALL the eggs under your broody are set at the same time----you collect the eggs and You put them all under her at one time---marking them clearly if she is going to be where other hens can get to her nest and they will probably lay other Eggs that YOU have to remove daily(they want be marked). Now doing this you have eliminated a Staggered hatch which is Not a good thing. When you get the eggs "set" under your hen mark your calendar or write the
hatch date over her nest----always start the next day as day 1 and count to day 21 for your hatch date---mark it then you want be wondering when that day is and you want be messing with the eggs during that time.

Hopefully they will be alright being you bothered them at this critical time?? As far as being ok with the rest of the flock---if you are going to allow them with the flock, you will just have to keep monitoring them to make sure they are not being pecked to death---Most regulars on here know How I feel about that----I never allow the young with the old.

When your eggs start hatching---she will probably leave the nest in a day or so with the hatched chicks---the "Good" unhatched eggs will die in the egg if YOU do not put them in a incubator to finish hatching or you can remove the chicks that hatch first to a properly heated brooder and keep removing them as they hatch and maybe she will stay on the nest and keep trying to hatch the others---which is Not a good Thing---that's why YOU should never Allow a Staggered hatch---its a Problem. Good Luck

Lots of great information. Thanks. My plan is to remove the chicks as soon as they hatch if I can catch them in time. I'm really new at this and I honestly didn't have plans in hatching any but we were in the middle of a big move and I only had 2 hens at the time who were laying sporadically so I forgot to check for a few days.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Lots of great information. Thanks. My plan is to remove the chicks as soon as they hatch if I can catch them in time. I'm really new at this and I honestly didn't have plans in hatching any but we were in the middle of a big move and I only had 2 hens at the time who were laying sporadically so I forgot to check for a few days.

Well you need to mark the eggs under her now and start collecting/removing any fresh layed eggs daily---if you don't then how you gong to put a stop to this staggered hatch?

 

[chickens really]

Why don't you want Momma to raise her Chicks?....They actually do a far better job than we can....Put a fence around her and the Chicks incase the others kill them as they hatch.....

 

[Shelly67]

I was afraid the others in the flick would harm them but last night we actually moved the entire row of nesting boxes into the duck house that only has one small duck in it. She went back to the nest and we left the 2 chicks that have already hatched with her. Checked on her this morning and she is doing fine with them. She doesn't seem to care that the duck is in there and the duck isn't interested in her either. This also put the nesting box closer to the ground. Is there anything else I need to do?

 

[chickens really]

Make sure they are safe and can get to feed and water...

 

[Shelly67]

There have been no new eggs layed in the past few weeks from any of the hens.

 

[Shelly67]

I was afraid the others in the flick would harm them but last night we actually moved the entire row of nesting boxes into the duck house that only has one small duck in it. She went back to the nest and we left the 2 chicks that have already hatched with her. Checked on her this morning and she is doing fine with them. She doesn't seem to care that the duck is in there and the duck isn't interested in her either. This also put the nesting box closer to the ground. Is there anything else I need to do?

I also emptied the duck pool in the house since she/he is let out into the yard every morning and has a pool outside.