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Why does 21 days pass so much slower when you are hatching?

Discussion in 'Incubating & Hatching Eggs' started by Smartie_Pants, Dec 28, 2008.

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  1. Dec 28, 2008 #1
    Smartie_Pants

    Smartie_Pants Songster

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    I have a silkie setting on 3 eggs. 1 is her egg and two are from my EE. All will probably be mixes. I put the eggs under her on the 26th and the days are moving so slow now. I don't know how I'll get through! LOL.

    I am concerned about one thing though. She "steals" eggs from the nestbox she is setting in. She will go to the other end and roll the eggs over to her nest and set on them. I have to fight her to get them. 2 of her eggs feel warm, but one always feels slightly cool. Its under her good, but still feels cool. Why is that?
     
  2. Dec 28, 2008 #2
    silkiechicken

    silkiechicken Staff PhD Premium Member

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    Perhaps she has too many eggs and it was sitting under feathers rather than being against her skin?

    As for rolling of eggs. In the future, I'd mark the ones set to hatch, remove the others, or isolate the hen so others can't take her eggs. She'll likly get up within a day or two of the first hatch and any half way there's wont get there.
     
  3. Dec 29, 2008 #3
    Smartie_Pants

    Smartie_Pants Songster

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    Quote:She only has three eggs and there is more than enough room under her for them. Others aren't stealing her eggs, she's taking the eggs the others lay on the other end of the box. I always make sure to take out the ones she steals.
     
  4. Dec 29, 2008 #4
    wyliefarms

    wyliefarms Songster

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    Time goes slow when you watch the pot of water waiting to boil too!
     
  5. Dec 30, 2008 #5
    Smartie_Pants

    Smartie_Pants Songster

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    I went out to feed this afternoon and she had done it again! She keeps taking one particular hens egg! She doesn't take the other eggs, but takes my BR hen's egg everyday. She is not big enough to set on 2 EE eggs and the BR egg plus her little silkie egg and for some reason, the silkie egg is the one that gets pushed out. It doesn't get all the way out, but the end is visable from under her feathers. AND THE SILKIE EGG IS THE ONE I WANT TO HATCH THE MOST!

    LOL. She's driving me crazy here! I think I'm going to take a piece of plywood and partition her off so she can't get to the other side. Right now the nest box is open, so I'll section her off on her end.

    I just want to know why she wants this egg in particular. I have at least 3 other hens that lay daily in the nest box and she doesn't touch those eggs, just the BR egg. Maybe I should give in and let her have it. What could the connection to the BR's egg be? I can't understand why she only takes that one.
     

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