Who should I hatch??

[Ridgerunner]

You are using a broody hen. I've had eggs hatch a full two days early under broody hens. Others I trust on here have had eggs hatch two or even three days late under a broody. There are different reasons for that, it's not only incubating temperature. I've had hatches where one chick was a full day earlier than the rest, some where they all hatched within 16 hours of each other and were early. I've had broody hens hat hatched when they were supposed to. That 21 day thing is a target, an approximation, not a sure thing.

Are you counting the days correctly? That's a pretty common mistake on here. It takes 24 hours for an egg too have a day's worth of development so you say "one" the day after you start them. A quick way to check your counting is that the day of the week you set them is the day of the week the 21 days are up. If you set them on a Tuesday then the 21 days are up on a Tuesday.

The younger the chicks are the better chance the hen will accept them and that they will accept the hen. What day of the week does that feed store get their chicks in? I'd ask. They will already probably be 2 days old when they come through their door.

If Tuesday is really your day and the farm store gets the chicks on a Monday or Tuesday I'd get the chicks Thursday and put them under her Thursday night. If the chicks come in Thursday or Friday I'd go for Friday night. Wednesday could go either way.

Good luck with the hatch. Hopefully this is all academic and you'll have your own chicks in a couple of days.

 

[akf93]

You are using a broody hen. I've had eggs hatch a full two days early under broody hens. Others I trust on here have had eggs hatch two or even three days late under a broody. There are different reasons for that, it's not only incubating temperature. I've had hatches where one chick was a full day earlier than the rest, some where they all hatched within 16 hours of each other and were early. I've had broody hens hat hatched when they were supposed to. That 21 day thing is a target, an approximation, not a sure thing.

Are you counting the days correctly? That's a pretty common mistake on here. It takes 24 hours for an egg too have a day's worth of development so you say "one" the day after you start them. A quick way to check your counting is that the day of the week you set them is the day of the week the 21 days are up. If you set them on a Tuesday then the 21 days are up on a Tuesday.

The younger the chicks are the better chance the hen will accept them and that they will accept the hen. What day of the week does that feed store get their chicks in? I'd ask. They will already probably be 2 days old when they come through their door.

If Tuesday is really your day and the farm store gets the chicks on a Monday or Tuesday I'd get the chicks Thursday and put them under her Thursday night. If the chicks come in Thursday or Friday I'd go for Friday night. Wednesday could go either way.

Good luck with the hatch. Hopefully this is all academic and you'll have your own chicks in a couple of days.

Thanks! We put 6 eggs all laid 9/27 under her that day. 1 egg was laid the day before by her but then refrigerated and placed under her also 9/27. So tomorrow should be the day, correct? The local store gets newbies on Thursdays.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So tomorrow should be the day, correct?

Yes, tomorrow, Tuesday the 18th is correct.

The local store gets newbies on Thursdays.

Then I'd go for Friday night.

 

[akf93]

We have our first baby! From one of my olive eggers - quite possibly the refrigerated egg and broody’s actual baby!

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

We have our first baby! From one of my olive eggers - quite possibly the refrigerated egg and broody’s actual baby!

Congratulations! How's Momma doing? Does she like her baby?

 

[Fallenone05]

Aaaaaa keep us updated!! I need to see the babies. I'm wanting to hatch so bad right now

 

[akf93]

Only the one so far! Mama seems to be taking to the chick. No signs of the other eggs hatching yet. Do I need to worry about feeding and watering this one? Will mama leave the nest to take this one to the food and water or will she wait for the rest of the eggs to hatch? Food and water is on the coop floor. The nest is a foot up, no ramp.

 

[Fallenone05]

Only the one so far! Mama seems to be taking to the chick. No signs of the other eggs hatching yet. Do I need to worry about feeding and watering this one? Will mama leave the nest to take this one to the food and water or will she wait for the rest of the eggs to hatch? Food and water is on the coop floor. The nest is a foot up, no ramp.

Baby chicks absorb the egg yolks and can survive on that for 2 - 3 days. Momma will stay on the nest for another day or two while waiting for late hatchers. Baby should be fine in the meantime.

 

[akf93]

Baby chicks absorb the egg yolks and can survive on that for 2 - 3 days. Momma will stay on the nest for another day or two while waiting for late hatchers. Baby should be fine in the meantime.

That is SO COOL!!

 

[Fallenone05]

That is SO COOL!!

Just a warning, if she is not separated from the other hens, sometimes hens can hear the peeps and get curious about it and kill the babies with their curiosity, and then honestly prey drive. Its small, it peeps and shrieks. I've lost a few chicks that way and I don't want it happening to anyone else.