[power_of_p3]

Hey Guys,

Haven't been on for a while, but I need some really good advice  

Our Silkie, Buffy, went broody about 4 n half weeks ago so we got her some eggs from a friend.  I'm not sure we did this right, but only found out after the fact    We started putting eggs under her on thursday night (18th Feb) and continued till Sunday when the last one was added.  Is this when it is considered that she has started to sit properly?? Set?

Anyway, we moved her into her own coop after a few days of being in the nest boxes (cause we couldn't get hold of anything quicker ) and she's fine with that.  I, stupidly didn't candle the eggs before I put them under to see if I could even see through them, they are very dark brown because they are Welsummers.  So then when I tried to candle later I couldn't see through them and still can't now.  Is that normal for Welsummer eggs or is it because there are chicks in them?

I can't feel/hear any movement, why?

There was one day where she was off the nest nearly 30 mins and when she got back on they were quite cold because it's been quite cold up here, that was perhaps about day 10, could this have killed them?

Last week, one of them had what looked to be water on it but it was a bit thicker (albumen?) , but no holes and obviously as I checked the egg it got wiped off.  Did I re-seal a pip?

Anyway, today, day 23 if from the last egg placed, there is a linear line round the top of one of the eggs but no pip hole? Just half way round mind, like about where you would break a hard boiled one to eat it.  And again I tried listening and I can't hear or feel anything.  Is this one trying to hatch or failed?  

I'm sorry for the long post...I'm just so worried that nothing is going to happen, and I think it might be starting to affect our broodies health.  She positivley and has always refused to get off the nest and I have had to take her off so she eats, drinks and poops.  But, because I am the primary handler she wasn't pecking me just everyone else lol, but last week bout the same time I noticed the one with water on it she started attacking me.  Is she trying to tell me something?  Will she continue to sit on the eggs if they have never developed, or died in the process?

Please can someone help me before I go cluckin mad....

BB ~~jo~~

[joyfull]

if she is still sitting tight then leave her and leave the eggs alone, she may be able to feel something that you can't. Really with a broody it is best just to leave the eggs alone as they turn them when they need to be turned. All you have to do is make sure she gets off the eggs twice a day to eat and stretch. Can I ask why you didn't put them all under her in one go?

[power_of_p3]

Hi Joyfull,

It was a quick decision, and as my friend only has two hens we only got one or two eggs off him at any one time.  And as I had never done it before...silly me...thought best to put them under straight away so they didn't get too cold and die or be inviable.  I know now that I could have left them all at room temp for the four days it took us to collect, but at the time I didn't really want to take the risk. 

Plus, I know she's a silkie and likley to stay broody for a while but I ddin't want to risk her coming out of it before we had a full clutch and then having noone to put the eggs under.  She went broody then we collected the eggs.  Although saying that, lol, she sent everyone else outta lay and our pure wyandotte broody, (the other two are hybrids) for two weeks.

So how much longer do you think I should wait...will she get off when she thinks it's pointless?  Cause it's four weeks now from the first egg.

Thanks  BB ~~jo~~

[hillfooter]

I suspect that these eggs won't hatch now.  They are usually 21 days fairly accurately.  The eggs will start to set from the time they reach the body temp of your chicken so they will be set in two batches.  However I wouldn't let her sit for more than arout 25 days or so and if you've seen nothing piping yet it's pretty likely they won't hatch now.

Be better prepared the next time and do it in the summer or spring and you'll have more success.

HF

[power_of_p3]

Hi Hillfooter,

I was afraid that may be the case, however I have read that depending on the weather it can extend it for upto a week.  Also that bantam eggs are 21 days but other breeds are can go upto 23 days without showing signs.  Is that right??

And what about the one that seems to be split?  If it hasn't hatched by tomorrow, shall I just put it in the bin gently or check it incase???

She's plenty warm enough, both her and under her.  Infact she's rather quite warm to the touch when you first move her, warmer than an absolutley freshly layed egg really.  She's in a rabbit hutch with an adapted pop-hole btw, so there's no drafts or anything.

I did think I was holding out too much hope for them to hatch now...I just feel so sorry for Buff, she's been so persisent and done everything she should be doing.  We planned to take the eggs from her on sunday anyway, because I realise she shouldn't be sat that long.

And if they start to set from the time they get to body temp them they are set over four days...that's why we are leaving it til sunday, that would be right, right?

If I do have to do that, do I just remove the eggs, hutch everything and stop her going into the roost/nestbox area during the day for a while.  Just like trying to break her if she hadn't sat on eggs at all?    Although she will still have to roost in there at night.

BB ~~jo~~

God, it's not till I start asking questions to peeps who put suggestions/opinions whatever that I realise there is so much I didn't know.  I've read/watched everything I possibly can and I still aren't prepared...I suppose experience in this is the only way to truly learn....

[hillfooter]

If you haven't done so already read Katie Thear's "Starting with chickens" and she's also written one on hatching eggs.  They're simple easy to follow guides which give basic sound advice and being paperbacks they're not so expensive on Amazon.  Also there's lots on the web you can find through Googling.

Re hatching times 21 days is the norm under ideal conditions but it shouldn't vary by more than 2 or at the most 3 days either side under less than ideal conditions.  You could candle them after 5 days which will sort out the infertile ones but broodies usually know themselves.  It's likely if they went cold during the incubation that's done for them. Leave it till you're happy they aren't going to hatch and no later than Sunday remove them and you can always break them open to see to what extent they were developed.
HF

[power_of_p3]

Thank You hillfooter xx

And if I use google anymore they're gunna charge me rent lol

As for the candling, I had trouble with this, the eggs that my girls lay I have no problem doing it with them the light shines straight through, as it would because they have no cock with them...I just did it out of curiosity.  But as for these Welsummer ones, it just doesn't seem to work.  I read that it's difficult to do it with blue/green eggs...but wouldn't have thought it would be a problem with these, they do seem to be quite dense???

I don't know...I'm just at the end of me teather with it, I'm dissapointed they haven't hatched...but I'm more worried about how it is for her, maybe I'm just over sensitive but they are pets not just laying birds...maybe that's the mistake we made, having them for pets rather than just laying birds