A question about Hens/Chicks.......

3Beasties

3Beasties

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Not really sure if this should be in here but I'll stick it here anyway!
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How long does it take for eggs to hatch?
 
Thanks, thought it was, is that set in stone or can it vary by a couple of days? Our hen has been sat on eggs for 22 days.....
 
there can be slight variation depending on temperature, especially temp variations around the first couple of days I think. I should say, although I have hens (hence the name) I tend to buy them in rather than hatch my own
 
Is there anyway to tell if they have little chicks in? They feel heavier then normal eggs so I guess that is a good sign?!

Am I right in thinking the chicks will need to be fed Chick Crumbs from Birth?


Sorry for all the questions, this is our first brood since about 10 years ago
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My grandmother always told me to hold it up to bright light, and you could see something... was in the eggs. Don't know if you can still see something if theres nothing in them though. Helpful arent I
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[ QUOTE ]
Put some of the eggs in a bowl of tepid water and watch them jiggle! you know you've got babies then.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ohhhh, does that really work?!?
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*tootles of to try......*
 
Or shine a light in them and you can see. They tend to tweet a day or so before, and TBH not sure putting them in water at that stage is wise as they are then breathing air.
 
Some sank and jiggled a bit
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a couple just floated on the top. I didn't check them all as Mrs Hen was getting in a flap
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so left her to it!

Another sill question....

If she is sat on the eggs will they hatch or does she need to be off them? Both time when I have checked on her today she has not been on the eggs whereas previously she has barely been off them. Just wondering if that could mean they will hatch soon?
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21 days to hatch, stop turning on day 18 and add water (chicks get stuck in eggs if not moist enough)
Eggs need to be turned at LEAST 3 times a day
This is what i found last wednesday when i looked in the bator...

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a day later
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We had 13 eggs, out of that 1 was duff, one failed to hatch (we cracked it and it had no egg tooth) and one that died as malformed, so now have 10 chicks from the 13 eggs
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You don't leave them in the water for long! She'll be fine, they will hatch when they're ready, just don't be tempted to 'help' them too much as you can kill them.
 
don't put them in water! i'm sure that's bad at this stage as you can drown them (eggs are porous...).

wait a few days. you can sometimes hear them chirping inside. but you're defo best just leaving the hen to it. she needs to make sure they're moist enough to hatch so fiddling with them can dry them out too much. nature will take it's course.

oooh, exciting!

p.s. someone told me i could feed them small amounts of boiled egg... which they seemed to love, but i didn't give too much as wasn't sure if they were meant to...

p.p.s. they won't need feeding for first 48hrs or so, as they'll be full up of yolk.

p.p.p.s. you'll be amazed at what mummy hen does to look after them

p.p.p.p.s. watch out for other hens. they can be evil to chicks.
 
I think there is a thing with freshly laid eggs with putting them in water that you can tell if they are fertile or not - but for the life of me I can't remember if it is when they sink or float that means they are fertile!
 
is a bit worrying if she has left the nest, am worried that taking them away may have upset her now and she is abandoning them, she should stay on them most of the time and only get off to have a drink/feed. best to leave her alone, she will turn them etc on her own make sure she's separated form the other hens and the chicks have avery shallow bowl of water (otherwise they drown in it) and some chick crumbs in a small bowl.
 
Just went out to have a look and she is back in the nest sat on them, don't think they have hatched but didn't want to upset her by moving her to check.
 
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