tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post563925551860598326..comments2023-03-23T07:34:43.975-07:00Comments on Raising Chickens : Keeping Chickens in your Backyard: Hatching Chicken Eggs NaturallyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-11313627633816201942016-05-15T12:53:33.190-07:002016-05-15T12:53:33.190-07:00It gets less likely that the eggs will hatch succe...It gets less likely that the eggs will hatch successfully after 24 days but it isn't impossible. I think the longest I have heard of is 28 days but I would have thought that even in that case there would probably have been some signs by day 26 (cheeping sounds, movement etc). When you do feel it is time to give up on them you can always carefully crack a tiny bit of the eggs to see how far each has progressed just to be doubly sure before throwing them away (probably best done outside just in case they stink up the place). Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-73899759584487547702016-05-14T16:28:10.103-07:002016-05-14T16:28:10.103-07:00Hi, right now we have 3 hens brooding one is on da...Hi, right now we have 3 hens brooding one is on day 24 another is on day 22 and the last one is on day 11.Nothing is hatching....when should i give up and take the eggs?<br /><br />The only problem is that the way our dad built the house,we cant walk in we have to get under<br />the house and climb in using the ramp. The wall with the nest boxes open up so we can get the eggs. We cant get one hens eggs without bothering all of them because two of them are nesting on the floor instead of a box.<br /><br />anyway (sorry for ranting ) <br />I just dont know when i should give up and take the eggs.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06101048979318123863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-12090063161900295422016-04-05T15:42:20.185-07:002016-04-05T15:42:20.185-07:00If it is possibly only just at around 21 days it i...If it is possibly only just at around 21 days it is probably worth waiting a few extra days just to be sure. Also, if other hens could have added to the nest after she started to sit on the eggs there might be several that are not as far along in the process as the others. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-24305373369162082992016-04-05T10:13:39.282-07:002016-04-05T10:13:39.282-07:00I am new here, but maybe you can help...hope this ...I am new here, but maybe you can help...hope this is still open - My son is in 4h and he has 6 hens and one rooster, just got a breeding pair of barred rock, of course the rooster went and covered the buff instead and several other hens. the buff went broody and has been laying on a ridiculous clutch of about 20 eggs last count - she's actually been coparenting with the australorp. I know some of the eggs are not hers (they are the easter eggers) and I am not sure all were even fertilized. Not sure when I even realized she started sitting - my son thinks it was around 3/7 - I think it might have been a bit later...anyway -by either count we are either at or past 21 days........what to do? nothing's hatched....but I would feel awful if we threw something away......Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04269966370750149695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-90401894595711687392015-06-03T03:11:07.555-07:002015-06-03T03:11:07.555-07:00Chicken eggs can still hatch at day 23 but after d...Chicken eggs can still hatch at day 23 but after day 24 it is getting quite unlikely that they will although some say to wait until day 26 just in case.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-40286730738012518522015-06-02T14:55:53.183-07:002015-06-02T14:55:53.183-07:00our hens been sitting on eggs for 23 days, nothing...our hens been sitting on eggs for 23 days, nothing has happened. Is this normal?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-78587272547369581012015-05-16T04:00:12.532-07:002015-05-16T04:00:12.532-07:00If the eggs cooled right down there is less chance...If the eggs cooled right down there is less chance that they will hatch. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-24781922535798815822015-05-15T11:03:06.334-07:002015-05-15T11:03:06.334-07:00Ok so i had two hens nest side by side both sittin...Ok so i had two hens nest side by side both sitting and sharing both nest they hatch all but six eggs two of which hatched today but they attacked both one is going to live for sure not sure about the other as its still somewhat in its shell he other four they stopped sitting on they were cold i put them in my incubator but are they going to hatch i checked them with my flash light seen no movement Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12310533998961038186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-56829677274208477052015-05-01T03:55:54.228-07:002015-05-01T03:55:54.228-07:00Sorry to hear that. It's hard to know why a ch...Sorry to hear that. It's hard to know why a chick doesn't make it as there are so many variables such as with the parents, egg storage before being set, weather etc. or the egg could have slipped out from under the hen for a while or she may have had a few long breaks. Some people get hatch rates in the 75%+ range but it is probably more normal to see hatches between 30% - 60%.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-38240241779105534192015-04-28T04:22:09.839-07:002015-04-28T04:22:09.839-07:00Hello - I have a ~Cornish Game sitting on 6 hatchi...Hello - I have a ~Cornish Game sitting on 6 hatching eggs. Today is day 21, one chick has hatched and is settling in well. One of the other eggs had pipped and it looked as if the mother hen had removed quite a bit of the shell all around the egg. When I looked later the egg was exactly as it had been before and looked very squashed and lifeless. The chick was dead. I removed it from the nest as the mother hen was getting anxious about it. 3 out of 4 of the others have an external pip. What has gone wrong here? I'm a bit puzzled.rebles1980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-29742701899521261502015-04-27T07:55:29.299-07:002015-04-27T07:55:29.299-07:00There have been subscribers in the past with Ducks...There have been subscribers in the past with Ducks that have hatched chicks (and also hens that have hatched ducklings). The main thing to watch out for with that once hatched is that she doesn't lead them into water for a swim. If the Silkie is also interested you may find that she will share the hatching/mothering duties. If the other hens are harassing her then she should be seperated but if there is likely to be some duties sharing then you may want to keep things accessible for now (as long as they are not disturbing her). Once hatched it may be necessary to keep the mother and chicks seperated from the rest of the flock so it will be handy to have that option available to you. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-52213603748009237612015-04-27T00:28:26.768-07:002015-04-27T00:28:26.768-07:00Hi, we have 1 silkie rooster, 1 silkie hen and 3 o...Hi, we have 1 silkie rooster, 1 silkie hen and 3 other laying hens. And one duck. We raised the duck with the silkies, and i have been leaving the smaller silkie eggs in the coop, (and collecting the other bigger eggs) to try to promote some broodiness. No broodiness at all for the last 2 weeks, however just today our dear duck has been nesting all day (which is has never done) and the silkie came and sat with her a while but i guess got bored:)<br />My questions (thank you!)1. Can a duck be a surragate mother of various chicken's eggs. 2. Should i seperate the duck from the other hens, at night when they go back in to sleep... i could actually shut the duck inside coop area, and the others outside in the small run. Many thanks for your answers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-39169616326861520622015-04-18T09:14:49.572-07:002015-04-18T09:14:49.572-07:00Congratulations :-) It seems as though you have ev...Congratulations :-) It seems as though you have everything covered and your four silkies sound as though they will happily share the mothering duties. Obviously keep an eye on things to make sure nothing changes, but as long as they all have food, water and shelter the 'mothers' should take care of pretty much everything else. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-74890615898730746152015-04-14T09:26:13.079-07:002015-04-14T09:26:13.079-07:00Hello,
We have four silkie hens trying to hatch a ...Hello,<br />We have four silkie hens trying to hatch a nest in our coop, on the ground, and I just walked in there this morning to find one hatched out and another on its way! We have only ever incubated so this is our first time with natural born chicks. We have two turkies and other silkies so I closed the coop door to keep the babies and mothers safe. They have food and water and a heat lamp. The window is cracked ever so slightly to keep fresh air coming in. Is there anything else I need to do? We have a separate pen area but how long should we keep the babies in the coop with the mothers? All the hens appear to be just fine with the babies, they have been tag-teaming the sitting and I saw no problems when the hatchling nestled himself under them so I don't think they'll kill him. Basically, any advice for the weeks to come? Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-69076548626313512422015-04-05T03:30:25.524-07:002015-04-05T03:30:25.524-07:00It doesn't sound as though she is actually bro...It doesn't sound as though she is actually broody yet but she does seem to be toying with the idea. Broodiness is not really something you can make happen but Silkies are naturally quite broody as a breed so you do have a good chance that she will commit eventually (although this particular batch will probably not be any good with all the stop starting there has been).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-75406472792118945302015-04-04T22:26:40.238-07:002015-04-04T22:26:40.238-07:00I have a pair of Silkies in my coop along with oth...I have a pair of Silkies in my coop along with other chickens. Late last month, my hen has started laying eggs and I've counted today and there are 9. She and the rooster are in their own secluded spot separated from the rest of the other chickens. In the past 2 days, she's started to sit on the nest during mornings to afternoons but at night times she doesn't. When I saw her on the nest 2 days ago I'm like oh ok she's setting now but when I went to check the nest there was another egg layed by her. Is she actually broody yet? Is she setting or just laying eggs? If not when will she sit on the nest?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-91541304453090106272015-04-04T22:09:40.415-07:002015-04-04T22:09:40.415-07:00I recently bought a pair of Silkies last year arou...I recently bought a pair of Silkies last year around June. My hen and rooster was about 4 months old and since late last month, my hen is laying eggs. I'm pretty sure they're fertile. She's laid 9 eggs so far but hasn't been sitting on them yet. In the last 2 days she was sitting on the nest but when I went to check there was just another egg that had been layed there. She has been sitting frequently everyday but she gets off the next at around midday then gets back on the nest at night. Will anything happen to the fertile eggs? And when will she stop laying eggs and start sitting on them?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-69812996650244314182015-01-18T12:33:54.462-08:002015-01-18T12:33:54.462-08:00A commercially available feed should in theory be ...A commercially available feed should in theory be a better nutritional balance as a hen will only be able to feed her chicks with what she/they come across when pecking around their area. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-45976440985910563492015-01-18T11:39:37.568-08:002015-01-18T11:39:37.568-08:00My feeble chick has died but all other chicks are...My feeble chick has died but all other chicks are good and healthy. I just want to know that which diet is best for them the commercially available feed or normal things on which hens feed them ?<br />Ameer hamzaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-42748693759191311072015-01-13T11:33:12.784-08:002015-01-13T11:33:12.784-08:00There is a short video on the basics of brooding c...There is a short video on the basics of brooding chicks on the blog here http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.co.uk/2008/01/caring-for-chicks-quick-guide-to.html which hopefully should help. A brooder doesn't have to be anything fancy, a sturdy cardboard box would be good enough initially and a normal desk lamp would give some heat if you have nothing else available.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-55346745132398543372015-01-11T11:44:24.021-08:002015-01-11T11:44:24.021-08:00I have a hen who has hatched 10 eggs, three days a...I have a hen who has hatched 10 eggs, three days ago. All the chicks are healthy except one who is very feeble and small. The hen doesn't pays any attention to him/her and it cannot move around to go and sit under the hen like other chicks. Most of the time it is alone while all other chicks are under the hen. Please tell me how can i help this little fellow survive its initial days. Its winter and very cold, so plz help me save this little life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-50590883396485669832014-10-05T11:56:27.069-07:002014-10-05T11:56:27.069-07:00If she is still broody and you want her to sit on ...If she is still broody and you want her to sit on eggs then purchasing a few hatching eggs from somewhere like ebay and setting her up in her own little safe area might help her fufill what she seems to think she needs to do. Otherwise, there probably is not much you can do other than offer a bit of tlc and hope she snaps out of it. If this has only just happened she may just need a few days to get back to normal. It also is probably wise to check that there are no other issues which may be causing behaviour that appears to be related to her want to hatch chicks but may be coincidental (parasites, molting etc).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-16951646586164997112014-10-05T08:05:37.254-07:002014-10-05T08:05:37.254-07:00We found one of our Maran hens sitting on 7 eggs u...We found one of our Maran hens sitting on 7 eggs under a hedge. After 28 days we checked the eggs and they had all gone bad, she must have sat on an old nest with old eggs. Now she is in a pitiful state, losing feathers and not eating, almost like she is pining for chicks. What can we do to help her? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-68872437969006549052014-09-13T13:19:21.109-07:002014-09-13T13:19:21.109-07:00It may be easier for you and the mother hen to kee...It may be easier for you and the mother hen to keep her separately with her chicks but it is hard to say for sure because sometimes the other members of the flock will help in raising chicks. The biggest trouble comes if they want to attack them. If the adult hens can get at the chick feed they will eat it (but if there are only small access holes to the chick feed they won't be able to). Medicated chick feed is to protect against coccidiosis. If the chicks are vaccinated instead, you can give them unmedicated chick feed and so reduce any concerns of eating eggs from hens which may have been eating medicated feed (it may say on the packaging of the particular chick feed that there is no withdrawal time for the eggs, in which case it wouldn't matter from that point of view). Normal layers feed is not a good balance for chicks (too much calcium for one thing). It should say on the packaging but chick/growers feed is usually given until about 20 weeks (or first egg, whichever is soonest) and then they would be on a layers feed.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08638780006752715900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9108629228598820747.post-24184057477299219992014-09-07T16:25:53.869-07:002014-09-07T16:25:53.869-07:00I have a homemade coup made out of pallets so not ...I have a homemade coup made out of pallets so not very large. One of my hens wanted to sit so I got 2 eggs for her. My concern is how the Sexlink's will react to the little ones and should I put together a rather large rabbit hutch I have but have not assembled yet and put the hen and the chicks in it after they are hatched or leave them where they are. I can not get the other 2 hens to lay eggs elsewhere. My mother and older sister always had hens but this is my first time and I am a little concerned my coup is ok. the nesting is behind a board that I put up with lot's of straw in it so they could lay. will the I am not sure I can put water and feed in there without the other hens eating it. Maybe the rabbit hutch is the correct thing until they get a little older. And when you do it natural how long do you wait to give them regular food without meds. I can see this could be extra work on my part and I was hoping for hands off and letting the mother hen do it all. I am excited at watching this process but just a tad concerned.<br />Dottie Gnoreply@blogger.com