[Silkysmooth]

Hi everyone,

well our eggs have been under our broody hen and its been 20 days. we candled one out of the two yesterday (all we had time for - we have 5 under her) and one out of the two was definately for hatching..large air space with the rest very dark.

has anyone any last minute advice/tips on what we should be doing?

we have chick crumb ready...water with pebbles in. The nesting box is slightly higher than the rest of the coop though. Will this matter or will I have to put in a small ramp for the chicks?

Many thanks

Andy

[joyfull]

Hi Andy, for the first day or so (not all will hatch at the same time) she will keep them with her but yes a small ramp for couple of days will be great. They will soon be able to fly though so won't need it for long. Just keep an eye that they can all get back up it to go to sleep  . Good luck.

[Tazzy]

We put our broody hen in a box on the floor so that they wouldn't have a problem getting back to mom, but on the first day they were able to easily hop onto a piece of 2" thick wood. They grow very very quickly and soon build up their strength - in fact you can almost see the feathers grow daily. Mine are 5 weeks old this week and have almost a complete set - still not sure about their sexing though.

Good luck with your hatching, think you will have a busy few days ahead 

[stan deakin]

good luck , bet you are thrilled to bits , after a day are two give them a bit of dandylion leaves chopped up they love them

stan

[Silkysmooth]

Thanks for your replies

There was sound and movement in one of the eggs today when we lift henretta off for a break! very excited about it all and they are also cream legbars so will be able to sex at birth

shall post pictures *fingers crossed* if we have success

x

[Silkysmooth]

p.s.

It was day 20 on Monday - she had a 10-15 break for food, water and poo. Do we now leave her for a couple of days or keep taking her off the eggs everyday until (hopefully) they hatch?

thanks

[Silkysmooth]

Anyone please??

[joyfull]

as today is day 21 I would leave her alone, make sure she has got chick crumb and water (in a dish with pebbles in if you don't have a proper chick drinker). Have a little peak later on today and again in the morning, you may have a little bundle of fluff or two waiting to surprise you. Sorry for not answering sooner but was at the vets with my dogs getting their boosters done.

[Silkysmooth]

1 has been born and it's a female cream legbar...another girl is pipping through...so exciting!

[Tazzy]

Hi Silky - how can you tell the sex so quickly Good luck with the rest of the brood

[joyfull]

cream legbars can be sexed on hatching one of the reason they are so popular as opposed to araucanas (which is what the cream legbars are derived from - hence the blue green eggs) which often cannot be sexed until they either crow or lay eggs.