Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: ellie01 on January 09, 2011, 02:12
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Hi everyone, Im new to chicken raising and would like to know how long to continue to leave my bantam on her fertilised eggs? Today is her 21st day with 3 out of the 8 eggs hatching day 20. Ive been told to get rid of them day 22 if they dont hatch but I would hate to do that if they just need a little more time. Can they even hatch after 22 days?
thanks heaps
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Hello Ellie01 and welcome to the wacky world of henaholics :)
How lovely that you have three chicks! We love to see photos here if you can post some. I am not very experienced and I'm sure someone more experienced than I will be along to give you some advice. If the eggs are all the same size and started at the same time I would be inclined to think that the ones that haven't hatched were not viable. You may be able to hear cheeping if there is a live chick inside. I would also see what mother bantam is doing. Is she still trying to sit or is she more involved with the three chicks? I think you shouldn't leave it too long before removing them because non-viable eggs can harbour bacteria which could affect your chicks and mother bantam. Good Luck! :)
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I would leave her for another day or so, she probably can still feel movement in the eggs. I have had eggs hatch last year on day 25. Mum will get off when she is ready to teach the other chicks to feed, they are ok for a couple of days without chick crumb although if you have room place some close by and also some water in either a shallow dish with marbles/pebbles in or a proper chick drinker.
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Probably leave them a little longer. Usually if they are going to hatch they will all hatch within 2 days of each other so I'd say if you don't see any for 3 days after the LAST one hatched you can assume they aren't going to. They maybe delayed or advanced as a batch but unless there's some reason like size or breed differences they tend to be grouped within a day or two.
HF
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Thanks for all that advice!! I looked on you tube yesterday and had my first go at candeling eggs...I found that 3 were empty and 2 had chicks in there but I couldnt see any movement. I had purchased eggs to put under this chook and there was several bantam types being frizzel and pekins and the pekin chicks are yellow instead of the black that I wanted so i am thinking that perhaps they are not getting out of their eggs yet due to being a differnt breed? (well hoping really) I think i will give her till tomorrow and see how things go...many thanks for all your help I will definatly tell you if any hatch!!