WHEN SHOULD I EXPECT MY EGGS TO HATCH?

[suzettex5]

The thing about this is, I'm not positive when my hen started sitting and actually incubating.
I did candle the eggs today, (my cracked egg from yesterday is still moving, YAY!) and all the chicks, 8 of them, are still active.
I would guess the actual mass of the chick fills up about 65 percent of the egg, including the air sac, BUT, they are still kinda free-floating, like when I tilt the egg you can see their bodies kinda slide to the other end of the egg. I am guessing they are about 17 days, but I'm no pro at this and this is the first batch of eggs I've ever allowed to hatch. They are under their momma, not in an incubator, so I'm just not sure. I've checked candleing sites and I'm still unsure since none of them show pics of everyday. I want to be ready when the chicks come!!!
Anybody who has any ideas or sites I can check or pictures of candled eggs, I will be eternally grateful for your input!!!

Thanks everyone

 

[PurpleChicken]

Careful with candling after day 14. The eggs need to stay close to mom
or it could mess the hatch. The other consideration is with a broody
they were all started at different times.

She'll let you know.

 

[suzettex5]

Ahhhh, good point, I was curious if the eggs could be at different developemental stages due to her laying over a period of time.
Wierd thing- she lets one of my EE's lay an egg in her clutch every day! I take the new egg out (for eating) but I was wondering if that could change the way the eggs develop, or can the hatch times get staggered safely?

 

[Mahlzeit]

If they were all started with in a couple of days they should be ok but she will start getting off the nest more and more often with her chicks. So if they are too far apart it could kill the remaining chicks in the eggs.