when do eggs start to pip?

[claraserena]

HOw do figure the countdown to hatch? The first day my boody sat on the eggs was Thursday, Feb 22. So should I expect something to hatch Thursday March 15th? That would actually be the 22nd day. And on what day does the pipping start? I'm on Spring Break next week so want to be sure to be home as much as possible. If the pipping is going on with the mom setting on the eggs will I even be aware of it? I don't want to miss the blessed event(s)!

 

[jimnjay]

The rule of thumb is to count the 1st day when 24 hours has past. So If you set eggs on Thursday, you should expect chicks on Thursday three weeks later. They usually start to pip on the 20th day and work their way out during the 21st day. Broody hen are pretty accurate with timing. Incubators can vary due to artifical heat and humidity issues.

 

[bigzio]

clarserena, The mother hen knows what is going on. She is turning the eggs and keeping humidty just right. I would never take a hen off her eggs while sitting, to candle or feed or whatever. You will know when she has little peeps when they peek out from under wings or under her breast or under her butt. After they hatch they need to dry under her and will come out when ready. Sometimes she will push the empty shells where you will see them also then you will know.

More fun than Christmas and being a little kid eh!

bigzio

 

[claraserena]

Thank you!
Dumb question. Can they breathe under her?
I know that newly hatched chicks should not be by pine shavings--I read that they will eat the shavings. But the Momma's "nest" IS pine shavings. So will she take care of that? And one egg might be two days behind the others--will she keep setting?

 

[bigzio]

claraserena, She will be just fine on shavings. You can place paper shop towels or whatever kind you have on the shaving directly in front of the nest with chick feed and a chick waterer, mom will help the little ones, showing them the feed. Once they eat for a couple days you can remove the paper towels.

They can breathe fine under her. Sometimes a hen can accidently lay on one, but that happens sometimes with all animals and can't be helped. Good luck.

bigzio

 

[battleaxe]

I am mentoring 4 little Amish kids in chickens. But the Mom admitted to me last night that these eggs sat too long on a counter waiting for room in the incubator. We are at day 21 as of this evening. Down to 5 out of 22 eggs. This is going to be a hard lesson.

 

[Aapomp831]

I am mentoring 4 little Amish kids in chickens. But the Mom admitted to me last night that these eggs sat too long on a counter waiting for room in the incubator. We are at day 21 as of this evening. Down to 5 out of 22 eggs. This is going to be a hard lesson.

Don’t beat yourself up - we just incubated 80 eggs and only got 19 to hatch successfully. With the broody hen, you won’t have to do much of anything except provide food, water and shelter. Always observe in case anyone is rejected - mama doesn’t follow through and have a brooder set up and ready to go just in case. But if she’s doing a good job, trust Mother Nature. It’s way better at all this than we are.
And by the way (forgive me if you already know this), you just need to provide chick food. Mom isn’t laying eggs so she doesn’t need layer feed or extra calcium, and the extra protein in the chick feed will help her recover from being broody which is very hard on their bodies.